Famous is applied to a person or thing widely spoken of as extraordinary; renowned is applied to those who are named again and again with honor; illustrious, to those who have dazzled the world by the splendor of their deeds or their virtues.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Example sentences

notable The area is notable for its scenery and wildlife.
renowned She's not renowned for her emotional intelligence.
famed We were approaching the famed Pillars of Hercules.
known The report soon became known all over the country.
iconic The giraffe is one of Africa's most iconic animals.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
famous		rising
notable		steady
renowned		rising
famed		steady
known		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: gurt
5 letters: great¹, known¹, noted², famed¹
6 letters: bright¹, signal², iconic³, fabled²
7 letters: notable³, eminent³
8 letters: glorious³, renowned², splendid², fameless
9 letters: excellent³, brilliant², prominent³, legendary⁴
10 letters: celebrated⁴
11 letters: conspicuous⁴, illustrious⁴
13 letters: distinguished³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (noted² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: fameux
Italiano: celebre
Español: famoso
Deutsch: berühmt
Català: famós