famous

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Known about by a great many people.

   Grammar: Often followed by for: famous for its beaches.

   Patterns

   • famous for something
   • famous as something
   • famous in somewhere

   The city is famous for its food.

   She became famous after her first album.

   This is the most famous painting in the museum.

2. 2adjectivecomparable

   Well known as a particular type of person or thing.

   Grammar: Often followed by as: famous as a poet.

   Patterns

   • famous as something

   He is famous as a chef and a writer.

   The lake is famous as a nesting site for rare birds.

   The village is famous as the birthplace of the inventor.

3. 3adjectivecomparableold-fashionedBritish

   Excellent or splendid, used in old-fashioned British speech.

   Grammar: Dated; seen in older books.

   Patterns

   • a famous victory

   We had a famous victory over our rivals.

   The meal was a famous success.

   He gave a famous reception.

Word forms

Common combinations

world famous

The bakery is world famous for its bread.

famous for

Paris is famous for its cafés.

become famous

He became famous overnight.

famous last words

I never forget a face — famous last words.

rich and famous

She dreamed of being rich and famous.

Synonyms and how they differ

well-known

Well-known is plainer and may refer to a smaller group than famous.

renowned

Renowned is formal and implies respect for achievement.

celebrated

Celebrated suggests being publicly praised or honored.

notorious

Notorious means famous for something bad, whereas famous is neutral or positive.

Opposites

Word family

fame noun

the state of being widely known

famously adverb

in a way that is well known

infamous adjective

famous for something bad

famed adjective

widely known, a more literary word

Commonly confused: famous or infamous? famous or notorious?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “famous”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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