Notorious - Word Of The Day For IELTS Speaking And Writing

Enhancing your vocabulary with formal and precise adjectives can significantly improve your Lexical Resource score in IELTS. Today’s word, “notorious”, is especially useful when discussing people, cases, events, or situations that are widely known for negative reasons. Using this adjective in both Speaking and Writing helps you describe infamy, criticism, or controversy clearly and formally.

Meaning of Notorious

Adjective: Famous or well-known for something bad or undesirable.

Using “notorious” allows you to describe well-known negative events, people, or situations in a sophisticated and academic manner.

Synonyms: Infamous, Blatant, Flagrant
Antonyms: Famous (positive), Renowned, Celebrated

Common Collocations with Notorious

Learning collocations helps you use the word naturally and accurately in IELTS contexts. Some examples:

• Notorious case – “The Richmond case joins other notorious incidents of child-against-child violence in recent years.”
• Notorious example – “The most notorious example in Julius Caesar was Brutus’ reaction to his wife Portia’s death.”
• Notorious criminal / incident / scandal

History and Origin of “Notorious”

The word “notorious” comes from the Latin notorius, meaning “well-known.” Historically, it was often used in legal or literary contexts to refer to people or events widely recognized for negative traits. Today, it is commonly used in media, academic essays, and IELTS responses to describe infamy, criticism, or public disapproval.

Usage & Examples in IELTS

Here are practical examples of how “notorious” can be used in IELTS Speaking and  IELTS Writing contexts.

IELTS Speaking:

• “The most notorious case concerns the 1,600 names on 31 Outhwaite syndicates.”
• “The judgments in notorious cases, which allowed unfettered administrative discretion, were later repudiated.”
• “The most notorious example in Julius Caesar was Brutus’ reaction to his wife Portia’s death.”

IELTS Writing:

• “The Richmond case joins other notorious incidents of child-against-child violence in recent years.”
• “The city’s notorious traffic congestion has prompted several policy reforms.”
• “Notorious financial scandals have undermined public trust in corporate institutions.”

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Example

Question: Why do some companies or individuals become notorious?

Sample Answer:
“Some companies or individuals become notorious due to repeated unethical behavior, poor decision-making, or actions that cause widespread harm. In many cases, media exposure amplifies their reputation, and the public often remembers the negative incidents more vividly than positive contributions.”

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Sentence

Topic: Some people believe that certain public figures should be held accountable for their actions.

Sample Sentence:
“Notorious incidents of corporate fraud demonstrate the need for stricter regulations and transparency in business practices.”

Exercise: Apply “Notorious”

Match the word below to complete the sentences:

1. He ate on, ………………… to the storms he was stirring into the air around him.
2. I have been in restaurants where the human customers have been loud, rude and …………………
3. The crash happened at a ………………………… accident blackspot.
4. The story repeats the theme of the unfaithful husband and ……………… wife.
5. Glasses and ceramics …………….. from the regolith may be used as structural materials, paving blocks, or windows.
6. It was cool under the ………….. and there was less light than Rostov had expected.

Answer Key:

1. oblivious
2. obnoxious
3. notorious
4. virtuous
5. extracted
6. canopy

Mastering the word notorious allows IELTS candidates to describe negative fame, scandals, or infamous events with precision and academic clarity. Practising it in both Speaking and Writing strengthens lexical range, fluency, and the ability to discuss controversial or high-profile issues, helping candidates achieve higher band scores.

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• IELTS Vocabulary Booster Ebook - Artur Krotkov & Nadin Miles
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0-9.0: Practice Exercises and Answer Key (Part 1)