famous

famous, famed, renowned, celebrated, eminent, illustrious are comparable when meaning known far and wide among men.

Famous and famed apply chiefly to men, events, and things that are much talked of or are widely or popularly known throughout a section, a country, a continent, or a cultural tradition; they also imply good repute or a favorable reputation. Normally these terms are applied without qualification only to those persons or things that are still so known or that were so known in the time under consideration

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the once famous poems of Owen Meredith

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a famous American aviator

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some of our most famous physicians have had to struggle pitiably against insufficient means until they were forty or fifty— Shaw

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time has spiraled them from rebellion to eminence. They are respectably famous, and the poet Edith even fashionable— W. T. Scott

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a corpulent, jolly fellow, famed for humor— Hawthorne

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Renowned implies more glory or honor and more widespread acclamation than either famous or famed; it is, however, often employed as a stronger or more emphatic term than famous with little actual difference in meaning except for a suggestion of greater longevity of fame

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royal kings . . . renowned for their deeds . . . for Christian service and true chivalry— Shak.

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those far- renowned brides of ancient song— Tennyson

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Celebrated stresses reception of popular or public notice or attention and frequent mention, especially in print; it may also suggest public admiration or popular honor

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the celebrated kidnapping of Charley Ross

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the most celebrated of the cases pending before the Supreme Court

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Benjamin Franklin's celebrated kite

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the greatest, but the least celebrated, general in the war

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it is characteristic that in this whole "Notebook" Maugham seldom mentions any of his celebrated friends— Behrman

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Eminent implies conspicuousness for outstanding qualities; it is applicable chiefly to persons or things that are recognized as topping others of their kind

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the age produced no eminent writers

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many eminent men of science have been bad mathematicians— Russell

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eminent manifestations of this magical power of poetry are very rare and very precious— Arnold

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Illustrious carries a stronger implication of renown than eminent; it also imputes to the thing so described a glori- ousness or splendor that increases its prestige or influence

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illustrious deeds of great heroes

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his right noble mind, illustrious virtue— Shak.

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boast the pure blood of an illustrious race— Pope

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Antonyms: obscure