Englishfamous
adjective
a famous pop star:
well known, celebrated, prominent, famed, popular, having made a name for oneself;
renowned, noted, notable, eminent, preeminent, leading, distinguished, esteemed, respected, venerable, august, of high standing, of distinction, of repute;
illustrious, acclaimed, honored, exalted, great, glorious, remarkable, signal, legendary, lionized, much publicized;
notorious, infamous.
▷antonyms unknown; obscure.
| choose the right word | famous, well known, celebrated, renowned |
■ Someone or something famous is known by large numbers of people and typically much admired (Turner's famous painting “Rain, Steam, and Speed”). A famous landmark, however, may be widely recognized but little admired. ■ Well known conveys the idea of being recognized by a large number of people but generally without the glamorous connotations of famous (many well-known companies built ships). Someone may be well known without being admired, although the adjective itself (unlike notorious) does not carry any bad connotations. ■ Celebrated suggests that someone or something is highly thought of (a portrait of a celebrated actress | one of Rodin's most celebrated works). Something celebrated is not necessarily also famous—the celebrated book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” is highly regarded but is not known by a large group of people. ■ Renowned means widely known and, in almost all cases, admired, and is a slightly more formal word than famous (the nation and its people were renowned for fair play | many internationally renowned chefs). It is typically applied to a person, and when not directly to a person, then it often relates to something for which a person is professionally responsible and deserves credit (Burgundy is renowned for its beef, poultry and wine). | |