Notorious Meaning in English

word

US

/noʊˈtɔɹiəs/

noh-TOR-ee-uhs

UK

/nəʊtˈɔːɹɪəs/

nuh-TAW-ree-uhs

Definition

Famous for something bad or negative; well-known in an unfavorable way.

Usage & Nuances

'Notorious' always implies a negative reputation, unlike 'famous' (which can be good or bad). Use commonly for people, places, or things with bad reputations: 'notorious criminal', 'notorious traffic jam'. Not usually used in formal writing unless highlighting notoriety.

• Spanish: notorio - famoso (por algo malo)
• Portuguese (BR): notório - famoso (por algo ruim)
• Portuguese (PT): notório - famoso (por algo mau)
• Chinese (Simplified): 臭名昭著 - 众所周知（因坏事）
• Chinese (Traditional): 臭名昭著 - 眾所皆知（因壞事）
• Hindi: कुख्यात - बदनाम
• Arabic: سيء السمعة - مشهور (بسبب أمر سلبي)
• Bengali: কুখ্যাত - দুর্নামযুক্ত
• Russian: печально известный
• Japanese: 悪名高い
• Vietnamese: khét tiếng
• Korean: 악명 높은
• Turkish: adı çıkmış - kötü şöhretli
• Urdu: بدنام
• Indonesian: terkenal buruk - tersohor (dengan konotasi negatif)

Example Sentences

He is a notorious thief in the city.

basic

That street is notorious for traffic jams.

basic

The area is notorious for its high crime rate.

basic

He's notorious for never paying his debts.

natural

The restaurant became notorious after the food poisoning incident.

natural

That club is notorious—everyone has a story about what happened there.

natural