famous

1 of 2

adjective

fa·​mous ˈfā-məs How to pronounce famous (audio)
Synonyms of famous
1
a
: widely known
a restaurant famous for its French cuisine
b
: honored for achievement
a famous explorer
2
: excellent, first-rate
famous weather for a walk
famousness noun

famousness

2 of 2

noun

fa·​mous·​ness
plural -es
: the quality or state of being famous

Synonyms of famous

Relevance

Adjective

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Choose the Right Synonym for famous

famous, renowned, celebrated, noted, notorious, distinguished, eminent, illustrious mean known far and wide.

famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

Examples of famous in a Sentence

Adjective a book about some of the most famous people of the last century the review gushed that the restaurant offered some truly famous Southern-style cooking
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
On October 24, the famous momager, 70, was spotted — literally — in Rome in one of her fiercest looks yet. — Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026 This TikTok-famous K-beauty find—infused with low-molecular-weight collagen peptides—delivers on that and more. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026 The 32-suite vessel will offer four-night voyages between Luxor and Aswan, during which guests can visit some of Egypt’s most famous archaeological sites, including the tombs of Nefertari, Seti I, Ramses VI, and King Tutankhamun. — Susan B. Barnes, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2026 Twenty-one famous faces were again invited to Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, where three Traitors are tapped to secretly hunt, lie to, and ultimately murder the Faithful. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for famous

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin famosus, from fama fame

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of famous was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing famous

Rhymes for famous

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Browse Nearby Words

famose
famous
famously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Famous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/famous. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

famous

adjective
fa·​mous ˈfā-məs How to pronounce famous (audio)
1
: much talked about : very well-known
famous explorer
2
: excellent
famous weather for a picnic
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