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.

BBC Sport looks at some of football's most infamous OGs.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Rivas was the personal secretary for Chile's infamous secret police chief Manuel Contreras from 1973 to 1976.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Before Putin confidant Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner Group turned against Mr. Putin in their infamous mutiny of June 2023, Prigozhin took to Telegram to denounce Russia’s generals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

However, perhaps the most iconic element in the space is the infamous “rotating closet” that Hannah was regularly seen using in the series.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

One of the petitioners, an infamous do-gooder of uncertain sanity named Warner Mifflin, had actually acknowledged that his antislavery vision had come to him after he was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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!