Quick answer: Famous means well-known, usually for positive reasons: Shakespeare is one of the most famous writers in history. Notorious means well-known for something bad or undesirable: The area is notorious for its high crime rate. Both describe fame, but the connotation is very different. For a fuller definition, see the Cambridge Dictionary entry for ‘famous’.
Comparison Table
| Word | Part of Speech | Key Meaning | Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|
| famous | adjective | well-known, recognised by many people | positive or neutral |
| notorious | adjective | well-known for something bad or undesirable | negative |
Using Famous
Famous describes someone or something that is widely known, usually because of achievement, talent, or a notable quality. The word carries no negative meaning on its own — it is neutral or positive. You can be famous for almost anything admirable.
Shakespeare is one of the most famous writers in history.
She became famous for her scientific discoveries.
The city is famous for its beautiful architecture.
He is a famous musician known all over the world.
Famous for Achievements and Places
Famous is the natural choice when talking about celebrities, landmarks, or accomplishments that people admire. Use it with the preposition for to explain the reason for the fame.
Paris is famous for the Eiffel Tower and its cuisine.
Marie Curie is famous for winning two Nobel Prizes.
Using Notorious
Notorious also means well-known, but always for negative, bad, or undesirable reasons. It implies that the person, place, or thing has a bad reputation that many people know about. Use notorious with the preposition for to name the bad quality or behaviour.
The area is notorious for its high crime rate.
He was notorious for his reckless behaviour.
The gang was notorious for its violent tactics.
The politician was notorious for accepting bribes.
Notorious vs Infamous
Notorious and infamous are near-synonyms. Both describe someone well-known for bad reasons. Infamous tends to be slightly more formal and literary; notorious is more common in news and everyday speech. You can often use either without changing the meaning.
The infamous gangster was finally arrested.
The notorious gangster was finally arrested.
Common Mistakes
✗ She is notorious for her kindness and charity work. (kindness is not a bad quality)
✓ She is famous for her kindness and charity work.
Tip: if the quality is admirable, use famous, not notorious.
✗ Al Capone was famous for his criminal empire. (technically possible, but misses the negative tone)
✓ Al Capone was notorious for his criminal empire.
Tip: when the reason for being known is illegal or harmful, notorious is the better word.
✗ She is famous her cooking.
✓ She is famous for her cooking.
Note: both famous and notorious are followed by “for” when giving the reason.
Tips to Remember the Difference
- Positive fame → famous. Think of actors, scientists, and authors who are famous for good things.
- Negative fame → notorious. Think of criminals, scandals, and dangers that places or people are known for.
- Notice that notorious sounds like “not glory” — it is the opposite of a glorious reputation.
- If you can replace the word with celebrated or renowned, use famous. If you can replace it with infamous, use notorious.
Also confusing: Accept vs Receive, Advise vs Advice, Borrow vs Lend. Browse all confusing word pairs →
Quick Check: Famous or Notorious?
Four fill-in-the-blank questions — choose the correct word for each sentence.
1. “The city is ___ for its beautiful architecture.”
2. “The gang was ___ for its violent tactics.”
3. “She is ___ for her role in the Oscar-winning film.”
4. “The politician was ___ for accepting bribes.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between famous and notorious?
Famous means well-known, usually for positive or neutral reasons. Notorious means well-known for something bad, negative, or undesirable. Both words describe a high level of public recognition, but the connotation is very different: famous is generally positive, notorious is always negative.
Can notorious ever be used in a positive way?
Rarely. Notorious almost always carries a negative connotation. However, in very informal speech some people use it loosely to mean “very well known”, as in “she is notorious for her perfectionism”. In formal or written English, stick to the negative meaning.
Can famous be used for negative things?
Famous is usually neutral or positive, but it can describe someone known for bad things if no negative emphasis is intended. For example, “the famous bank robber Jesse James” uses famous neutrally. If you want to stress the negative, notorious is the better choice.
What is a good synonym for famous?
Good synonyms for famous include well-known, celebrated, renowned, acclaimed, and distinguished. These all carry a positive or neutral tone and can often replace famous in formal contexts.
What is a good synonym for notorious?
Good synonyms for notorious include infamous, disreputable, and ill-famed. Infamous is the most common alternative and is used in similar contexts: “the infamous gangster”, “an infamous scandal”.
Is infamous the same as notorious?
Yes, infamous and notorious are very close in meaning. Both describe someone or something well-known for bad reasons. Infamous is slightly more formal and literary, while notorious is more commonly used in journalism and everyday speech.
How do I use notorious in a sentence?
Use notorious with “for” followed by the bad quality or action: “The area is notorious for its high crime rate”, “He was notorious for his reckless behaviour”, “The company became notorious for its poor customer service”.
How do I use famous in a sentence?
Use famous with “for” followed by the achievement or quality: “Shakespeare is famous for his plays”, “She became famous for her scientific discoveries”, “Paris is famous for the Eiffel Tower”. Famous can also stand alone: “a famous actor”.
What is the noun form of famous and notorious?
The noun form of famous is fame. The noun form of notorious is notoriety. For example: “She achieved international fame” and “The criminal gained notoriety for his daring escapes”.
How do famous and notorious appear in IELTS or Cambridge exams?
In IELTS and Cambridge exams, mixing up famous and notorious is a common lexical error. Examiners look for precise connotation: use famous for positive achievement (“a famous scientist”) and notorious for negative reputation (“a notorious fraud”). Using the wrong word lowers your lexical resource or vocabulary score.