INDEX:
1. famous
2. receiving a lot of attention in newspapers etc
3. to become famous
4. when someone is famous
5. a famous person
6. not famous
RELATED WORDS
see also
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↑ SUCCEED/SUCCESSFUL
↑ ACTOR/ACTRESS
↑ TELEVISION/RADIO
↑ FILM/MOVIE
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1. famous
▷ famous /ˈfeɪməs/ [adjective]
famous people, places, books etc are known about and talked about by a lot of people in a lot of places :
▪ Famous stars like Keanu Reeves and Demi Moore attended the party.
▪ The package includes a tour of Sydney’s famous Opera House.
▪ ‘David Copperfield’ is one of Dickens’ most famous books.
famous for
▪ Manchester is famous for its nightlife and for its football teams.
world-famous
famous all over the world
▪ Rio’s world-famous carnival
the rich and famous /ðə ˌrɪtʃ ən ˈfeɪməs/ [plural noun]
people who are rich and famous :
▪ The night club is popular among the rich and famous.
▷ well-known/well known /ˌwel ˈnəʊn◂/ [adjective]
famous, especially in a particular place or among a particular group of people :
▪ She works in local radio, and is quite well known in the Houston area.
▪ Large companies have an advantage because of their well-known brand names.
well-known/well known for
▪ The island is well-known for its beautiful beaches.
better-known/best-known
▪ Pat Boone is one of America’s best-known Christian entertainers.
▷ legendary /ˈledʒ ə nd ə riǁ-deri/ [adjective usually before noun]
someone or something that is legendary is famous for being very special or interesting, and people like to talk or read about them :
▪ The studio was owned by Sam Goldwyn, the legendary Hollywood producer.
▪ The album was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road studios.
▷ celebrated /ˈselɪbreɪtəd, ˈseləbreɪtəd/ [adjective]
very well known, admired, and talked about by a lot of people, especially because of some special success or achievement :
▪ Martin Luther King Jr. gave his celebrated speech before the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.
▪ Van Gogh, perhaps Holland’s most celebrated artist, died in poverty.
▷ noted /ˈnəʊtɪd, ˈnəʊtəd/ [adjective only before noun]
noted musician/scientist/surgeon etc
well known and respected because of a special ability or achievement :
▪ The picture was taken in the mid-1880s by the noted photographer C.S. Fly.
▪ The author quotes Stephen Jay Gould, the noted Harvard scientist, to support his theories.
▷ renowned /rɪˈnaʊnd/ [adjective]
famous for a particular quality or activity :
▪ Jesse Jackson, the renowned civil rights leader, was in the city again last night.
renowned for
▪ Barbados is renowned for the marvellous cricket players it produces.
renowned as
▪ Renowned as a newspaper editor, Greeley ran against Grant for president in 1872.
▷ eminent /ˈemɪnənt/ [adjective usually before noun]
an eminent doctor, lawyer, scientist etc is famous for being extremely successful in his or her profession and is admired and respected for this :
▪ She’s an eminent psychiatrist at the Harvard Medical School.
▪ While he lived, Nehru remained the most eminent spokesman for the Third World.
▷ notorious /nəʊˈtɔːriəs, nə-/ [adjective]
someone who is notorious is famous because of something bad they have done :
▪ One of Britain’s most notorious criminals has escaped from prison.
▪ Davis is a notorious woman-hater.
notorious for
▪ English soccer fans are notorious for their drunkenness.
▷ infamous /ˈɪnfəməs/ [adjective only before noun]
famous for being bad, especially for being immoral or evil :
▪ He was a member of the regime’s infamous secret police.
▪ The night club is named after New Orleans’ infamous red light district.
2. receiving a lot of attention in newspapers etc
▷ be in the public eye /biː ɪn ðə ˌpʌblɪk ˈaɪ/ [verb phrase]
to receive a lot of attention, so that a lot of what you do is reported in newspapers, on television etc :
▪ The President’s family is constantly in the public eye.
▪ Marks has kept himself in the public eye for years by filing bizarre lawsuits.
▷ be in the spotlight/limelight /biː ɪn ðə ˈspɒtlaɪt, ˈlaɪmlaɪtǁ-ˈspɑːt-/ [verb phrase]
to receive a lot of attention in newspapers, on television etc, but often only for a short period of time :
▪ The band is in the spotlight again because of its recent hit single.
▪ How do her children feel about having a mother who’s constantly in the limelight?
▷ much/most talked about /ˌmʌtʃ, ˌməʊst ˈtɔːkt əbaʊt/ [adjective phrase]
receiving a lot of attention from newspapers, television etc, and talked about by a lot of people :
▪ The much talked about new museum is somewhat disappointing.
▪ She is Australia’s most talked about TV actress.
▷ somebody’s name is on everyone’s lips / somebodyˈs ˌneɪm ɪz ɒn ˌevriwʌnz ˈlɪps/
if someone’s name is on everyone’s lips they are very well known and talked about for a short time, usually as a result of a news story :
▪ As a result of the scandal, the tall Texan millionaire’s name was on everyone’s lips.
▷ high-profile /ˌhaɪ ˈprəʊfaɪl◂/ [adjective]
often attracting a lot of attention because of your position in society or your job :
▪ a high-profile civil rights lawyer
▪ a high-profile position as Chief Executive
3. to become famous
▷ become famous/well known /bɪˌkʌm ˈfeɪməs, wel ˈnəʊn/ [verb phrase]
▪ Many people dream of becoming famous.
▪ The brand name has become well known in Britain through clever advertising.
become famous overnight
very suddenly
▪ With the success of their first record, they became famous overnight.
▷ make your name/make a name for yourself /ˌmeɪk jɔːʳ ˈneɪm, ˌmeɪk ə ˈneɪm fər jɔːʳself/ [verb phrase]
to become well known, especially as a result of hard work or an unusual achievement :
▪ Clint Eastwood first made a name for himself in the TV series ‘Rawhide’.
make your name/make a name for yourself as
▪ By the time he was 30, Evans had made his name as the editor of ‘The Sunday Times’.
▪ She is beginning to make a name for herself as a fashion designer.
▷ rise to fame/shoot to fame/win fame (as) /ˌraɪz tə ˈfeɪm, ˌʃuːt tə ˈfeɪm, ˌwɪn ˈfeɪm (æz)/ [verb phrase]
to become famous, especially suddenly :
▪ John Lydon shot to fame in the mid-1970s as Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols.
▪ She won fame as the youngest-ever Olympic champion gymnast.
rise to fame [noun phrase]
▪ The movie focuses on Stern’s rise to fame.
▷ achieve notoriety /əˌtʃiːv nəʊtəˈraɪəti/ [verb phrase]
to become famous for something bad :
▪ The director’s films have achieved notoriety for their graphic depiction of violence.
achieve a certain notoriety
become slightly famous for something
▪ The club has achieved a certain notoriety as a meeting place for criminals and drug dealers.
▷ hit the headlines/make (the) headlines /ˌhɪt ðə ˈhedlaɪnz, ˌmeɪk (ðə) ˈhedlaɪnz/ [verb phrase]
to suddenly become very famous and receive a lot of attention from the newspapers, television etc, sometimes only for a short time :
▪ The island hit the headlines last year when huge tidal waves killed 2,000 people.
▪ The bizarre court case was shown on TV and made headlines around the world.
▷ rising star /ˌraɪzɪŋ ˈstɑːʳ/ [countable noun]
someone, especially a young person, who is quickly becoming more and more famous :
▪ She’s one of the rising stars of politics and an excellent public speaker.
4. when someone is famous
▷ fame /feɪm/ [uncountable noun]
the success and attention people get when they are famous :
▪ She came to Hollywood in search of fame.
at the height of somebody’s fame
when someone is most famous
▪ At the height of his fame, it is estimated that 500 million people watched his show.
fame and fortune
fame and money
▪ He never really achieved the fame and fortune he dreamed of.
of television/movie/baseball etc fame
famous because of television, films etc
▪ The book is about Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde fame.
▷ stardom /ˈstɑːʳdəm/ [uncountable noun]
when someone is very famous, especially in music, films, or sport :
▪ Stardom is the ultimate ambition of most young singers and actors.
▪ She feared that by having a baby she had sacrificed her chances of stardom.
▷ renown /rɪˈnaʊn/ [uncountable noun] written
fame and admiration that someone has because of something good such as great skill, knowledge, or bravery :
▪ The general’s victories won him renown throughout the country.
of great/international/high etc renown
▪ Speakers of international renown will attend the conference.
5. a famous person
▷ star /stɑːʳ/ [countable noun]
a very famous and successful actor, entertainer, or sports player :
▪ Hollings’ latest movie role could make her a big star.
movie/rock/tennis etc star
▪ John Cusack is one of my favourite movie stars.
▪ She was once married to a well-known football star.
big star
▪ If he becomes a big TV star, we’ll probably never hear from him again.
▷ celebrity also celeb informal /sɪˈlebrəti, səˈlebrəti, sə̇ˈleb/ [countable noun]
someone who is well known, for example as an entertainer or sports player, and who is often seen on television or written about in newspapers :
▪ People waited outside for the chance to see some celebrities.
▪ The bar is a good place to go if you want to spot some celebs.
TV/showbusiness/media etc celebrity
▪ The club is popular with media celebrities and literary types.
celebrity interview/photograph/biography etc
▪ Mattie reads mainly tabloids and celebrity biographies.
celebrity golf tournament/game show
in which celebrities take part
▪ Nash played in a celebrity golf tournament while in Canada.
minor celebrity
not extremely famous, popular, or successful
▪ Six minor celebrities took part in the charity ‘Big Brother’ programme.
▷ superstar /ˈsuːpəʳstɑːʳ, ˈsjuː-ǁˈsuː-/ [countable noun]
an actor, musician, or sports player who is famous all over the world :
▪ Janet Jackson became a superstar largely because of her exciting music videos.
radio/TV/basketball etc superstar
▪ Hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky played for L.A. before retiring.
▷ personality /ˌpɜːʳsəˈnælɪti, ˌpɜːʳsəˈnæləti/ [countable noun]
someone who is well known because they often appear on television and at public events :
▪ For years she was one of the best-loved personalities in the newspaper gossip columns.
TV/radio/sports etc personality
▪ Radio personality Don Imus has gotten in trouble again for what he said on the air.
▷ big name /ˌbɪg ˈneɪm/ [countable noun] informal
a famous and successful performer :
▪ Eric Hawkins, one of the big names of modern American dance
big-name /ˈbɪg neɪm/ [adjective]
▪ The stadium has managed to attract a number of big-name entertainers.
▷ legend /ˈledʒ ə nd/ [countable noun]
someone who has become very famous over a long period of time, especially because they are very good at a particular activity :
▪ Among Mexican music fans, Fernandez is a legend.
living legend/legend in somebody’s own lifetime
someone who has become a legend while still alive
▪ Michael Jordan is a living legend of basketball.
▷ household name /ˌhaʊshəʊld ˈneɪm/ [countable noun]
a person, company, or product that is a household name is so famous that everyone knows their name :
▪ Coca-Cola is a household name all over the world.
make somebody/something a household name
▪ Ralph Nader’s consumer activism has made him a household name in the U.S.
6. not famous
▷ unknown /ˌʌnˈnəʊn◂/ [adjective]
not at all famous :
▪ As an unknown author, it isn’t easy to get your work published.
▪ Horn was beaten by a relatively unknown politician in the last election.
unknown [countable noun]
▪ a movie made with a cast of complete unknowns
▷ obscure /əbˈskjʊəʳ/ [adjective]
someone or something that is obscure is known about only by a few people, because they belong to a group, place, or subject that not many people know about or are interested in :
▪ He’s using an obscure old law to try to stop the new road being built.
▪ The lines were written by an obscure English poet named Mordaunt.
obscurity [uncountable noun]
▪ After the accident he retired from acting and died in relative obscurity.
▷ a nobody /ə ˈnəʊbədi/ [singular noun]
someone who is very ordinary and not at all famous or important :
▪ After all her hard work, she didn’t want to end up just a nobody.
▪ A lot of the rich people who come in here treat us like nobodies.