shameful
Americanadjective
-
causing shame.
shameful behavior.
- Synonyms:
- humiliating
-
disgraceful or scandalous.
shameful treatment.
- Synonyms:
- low, base, vile, ignominious, dishonorable
- Antonyms:
- honorable
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shameful
before 950; Middle English; Old English scamful. See shame, -ful
Explanation
Cheating to win a game is a shameful act because it goes against fairness and honesty. Any shameful act can leave you feeling guilty and embarrassed if you get caught — as it should. The word shameful describes actions or behaviors that are disgraceful. For example, cheating on a test or telling a hurtful lie are shameful acts because they betray the values of trustworthiness, honesty, and kindness. When someone does something shameful, they are held in a state of dishonor, leading to feelings of regret and a desire to try and make things right.
Vocabulary lists containing shameful
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What Hegseth intends to do would indeed be shameful.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
It’s not shameful to fight, an idea many of us have internalized, she says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Transparency interrupts the vicious cycle where people think AI use is shameful, so they hide it; that secrecy makes everyone suspicious of everyone else, which only makes AI use seem even more shameful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Feeling "lonely and shameful" and wondering if it was a "me problem", she posted on social media asking whether other women her age were having the same experience.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
During the opening credits of La Casa de Traición, a horrible show about a rich family with a shameful past, we hear shouting outside.
From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
