Notable is generally positive: worth noticing or remembering. Notorious is almost always negative: famous for something bad, like a crime or a scandal. Memory hook: a notable achievement gets applause, a notorious reputation gets raised eyebrows.
The core difference
Notable describes something worth noticing or distinguished, while notorious describes being widely known for something bad.
- notable — worth noticing or distinguished: She made a notable contribution to the field of genetics.
- notorious — famous for something bad: The city was notorious for its high crime rate.
How to tell them apart
Check the tone of what is being described. Achievements, contributions and distinguished people are notable. Crime, scandal and bad reputations are notorious. If you would be pleased to be described that way, reach for notable; if it is a reputation you would rather not have, it is notorious.
The mix-up happens because both words share the idea of being widely noticed, and writers sometimes use notorious when they simply mean well known without intending anything negative. It is safer to keep notorious for cases with a genuinely bad association, such as a notorious con artist, and use notable or well known for neutral or positive fame.
