infamous

[in-fuh-muhs] / ˈɪn fə məs /

ADJECTIVE

shameful, bad in reputation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

disgraceful egregious hateful heinous ignominious monstrous notorious outrageous scandalous shocking vicious vile

WEAK

abominable atrocious base contemptible corrupt degenerate despicable detestable dishonorable disreputable evil flagitious foul ill-famed iniquitous loathsome miscreant nefarious odious offensive opprobrious perverse questionable rotten scurvy shady sorry unhealthy villainous wicked

Antonyms

STRONGEST

friendly gentle good kind little magnificent nice pleasant wonderful

WEAK

dignified glorious innocent moral perfect principled pure respectable righteous virtuous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It was a smarmier version of fellow candidate Katie Porter’s infamous interview with CBS last fall in which she, too, tried to police the reporter’s questioning.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

It is also infamous for helping to drive the storied seafood chain into bankruptcy two years ago, when Red Lobster’s former owners ran the deal continuously and cratered the chain’s profits.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Cue that infamous wink from Rooney’s Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo towards the Portugal bench, a lasting image of England’s 2006 World Cup.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

This reads like one of those infamous surveys where 75% of drivers say they are better than average.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Inside the classroom, I take my seat, feeling infamous and invincible and twitchy and strangely exhilarated, as if I just escaped, well, death.

From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven

Vocabulary lists containing infamous

The Bill of Rights

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Grade 9, List 5

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!