notoriously bad

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'notoriously bad' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is particularly bad or unsuccessful in a way that is widely recognized. For example, "The restaurant has a notoriously bad reputation for its slow service and bad food."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Public infrastructure is notoriously bad.

The New Yorker

Schnitzler had notoriously bad handwriting.

The Guardian - Books

Computers are notoriously bad at detecting sarcasm.

Harvard Business Review

He is a notoriously bad shot.

The New York Times

Labour backbenchers are notoriously bad under fire.

The Guardian - Opinion

The communes are notoriously bad at allocating costs.

The Economist

Notoriously bad soldiers were also branded with "BC" ("bad character").

Encyclopedia Britannica

Co-operation with federal prosecutors, once notoriously bad, has improved.

The Economist

After all, teenagers are notoriously bad at making plans.

The New York Times

Governments are notoriously bad at managing the money they collect.

The New York Times

Yet Mexico is notoriously bad at collecting taxes.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "notoriously bad", ensure the context clearly indicates what is widely known or recognized as poor. This adds credibility and impact to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "notoriously bad" for minor issues or subjective preferences. The phrase implies widespread recognition of a significant problem, so reserve it for truly glaring deficiencies.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "notoriously bad" functions as an intensifying adverbial phrase modifying an adjective. It emphasizes the degree to which something is considered bad, indicating that this poor quality is widely known and recognized. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Wiki

10%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "notoriously bad" is a common and correct way to describe something widely recognized for its poor quality, according to Ludwig AI. It functions as an intensifier, conveying a strong sense of disapproval that goes beyond a simple negative assessment. While versatile, its use should be reserved for situations where the deficiency is truly widespread and well-known. Sources like The New York Times and The Guardian frequently employ this phrase. Alternatives such as "famously awful" or "infamously poor" offer similar semantic weight while providing stylistic variety. While acceptable in most contexts, more formal alternatives may be preferable in academic or business settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

infamously poor

This alternative replaces "bad" with "poor" and "notoriously" with "infamously", emphasizing the widely known negative quality.

famously awful

This alternative replaces "bad" with "awful" and "notoriously" with "famously", conveying a sense of widespread negative recognition.

widely known to be terrible

This phrase replaces "notoriously bad" with a more descriptive explanation, emphasizing the broad awareness of the negative quality.

remarkably substandard

This alternative uses "substandard" instead of "bad" and "remarkably" in place of "notoriously", highlighting the significantly poor quality.

conspicuously deficient

This alternative uses more formal language, replacing "bad" with "deficient" and "notoriously" with "conspicuously", emphasizing the noticeable lack of quality.

egregiously inadequate

This phrase employs stronger wording, using "inadequate" instead of "bad" and "egregiously" for "notoriously", stressing the extreme insufficiency.

hopelessly inept

This alternative replaces "bad" with "inept" and "notoriously" with "hopelessly", indicating a complete lack of skill or competence.

patently unsatisfactory

This phrase uses "unsatisfactory" instead of "bad" and "patently" for "notoriously", emphasizing the obvious and unacceptable nature of the quality.

traditionally deficient

This alternative uses "traditionally" instead of "notoriously", focusing on the consistent historical deficiency.

historically poor

This alternative swaps "notoriously" for "historically", highlighting that the 'bad' quality has been true across time.

FAQs

How can I use "notoriously bad" in a sentence?

Use "notoriously bad" to describe something widely known for its poor quality or performance. For example, "The city's public transportation system is "notoriously bad"."

What are some alternatives to "notoriously bad"?

You can use alternatives like "infamously poor", "famously awful", or "widely known to be terrible" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "notoriously bad" in formal writing?

While "notoriously bad" is generally acceptable, consider using more formal alternatives like "conspicuously deficient" or "egregiously inadequate" in highly formal contexts.

What does "notoriously bad" imply about the subject?

Using "notoriously bad" implies that the subject is not only poor in quality but also widely recognized as such. This suggests a long-standing or well-publicized issue.