infamous
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
well-known for being bad, evil, or shocking.
having an extremely bad reputation; widely known for some negative quality or deed.
Simple“The city is infamous for its terrible traffic and narrow streets.”
In context“The pirate became infamous throughout the Caribbean for his ruthless tactics and his ability to evade the royal navy for over a decade.”
PitfallHe is very infamous for his charity work. He is very famous for his charity work.Infamous is not a stronger version of famous; it specifically means famous for something bad. Use 'famous' or 'renowned' for positive things.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
causing a loss of respect or a bad reputation.
deserving of or causing infamy; shockingly bad or disgraceful in nature.
Simple“The dictator's infamous treatment of his people was condemned by the world.”
In context“The committee described the decision as an infamous betrayal of the public trust, leading to immediate calls for a full investigation.”
SynonymsAntonymspraiseworthy - 03 C2 Proficiency
in the past, describing a person who lost their legal rights because of a crime.
referring to a person deprived of certain civil rights, such as serving on a jury, as a result of a conviction for a serious crime.
Simple“In the 1800s, certain criminals were declared infamous and could no longer vote.”
In context“Under the old statutes, an infamous person was barred from giving testimony in a court of law, as their character was deemed legally compromised.”
UsageUsually applied to the legal status of a person in historical contexts.
infamous vs famous — Famous describes someone widely known for positive or neutral reasons, while infamous describes someone widely known for negative or shameful reasons.
“This time, Maltbie was locked in the infamous Provost , a British prison in lower Manhattan, to await his fate .”
“He had been nabbed by the feds trying to sell Epstein’s infamous “little black book” for $50,000.”
From Middle English enfamouse, in-fames, infamous, from Medieval Latin īnfāmōsus, from Latin īnfāmis; by surface analysis, in- + famous. Displaced native Old English unhlīsful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.