dignified
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dignified
Explanation
Dignified means self-respecting and worthy. If you want to have a dignified memorial service, skip the karaoke machine and instead softly play the favorite music of the person you're remembering. Something that has dignity is honorable and worthy, so something that is dignified acts in an honorable, worthy way, showing great self-respect and respect for others. If someone handles a terrible public embarrassment gracefully and without breaking down, we might compliment her dignified manner. You might be too dignified to engage in screaming at the wrestling match, or too dignified to beg for a job even in hard times.
Vocabulary lists containing dignified
An "August" Assortment: Words Worthy of Honor
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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"The Diary of Anne Frank," Vocabulary from the drama
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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.
"This marks a new chapter in the fight to build a dignified future for all Venezuelans," the opposition negotiator said in her statement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
"Bodies were simply abandoned for nature to take its course. None were kept in a dignified manner."
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
President Trump on Wednesday attended the dignified transfer of four U.S. servicemembers recently killed in the Middle East during the Iran war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
When he speaks of Likho, he speaks with a tender cadence and dignified countenance, as if he were his own.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
He walked, dignified, from group to group, smiling and filling the drinking cups, and you’d have sworn from his look that never until tonight had the old man been absolutely happy.
From "Grendel" by John Gardner
Definitions 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.
