English Reference
Adverb

notoriously

adv. sent.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /noʊˈtɔɹiəsɫi/ UK /nəʊtˈɔːɹɪəsli/ no·to·ri·ous·ly

adv.used to describe something that is famous for being bad or difficult. You use it when everyone knows about a negative quality.

adv.used to emphasise that a quality or fact, typically a negative one, is widely known or famous.


SIMPLE

The weather in this city is notoriously unpredictable.

CONTEXTUAL

The local government is notoriously slow at processing new building permits, often taking months to respond.

COMPLEX

While the author's prose is celebrated for its beauty, his personal life was notoriously chaotic, marked by frequent public arguments and financial instability.

Usage

Typically placed before the adjective it modifies to highlight a well-known negative trait.

Usage notoriously difficult

These sources are called Galactic PeVatrons, and they are notoriously hard to pin down.

Phys.org· 14 Aug 2026

Researchers have found a clever new way to map a part of Earth’s upper atmosphere that is notoriously difficult to observe.

ScienceDaily· 12 Aug 2026

Common in science writing


From Middle English notoryously, equivalent to notorious + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English notoryously
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated