Synonyms

humiliate

American

[hyoo-mil-ee-eyt, yoo-] / hyuˈmɪl iˌeɪt, yu- /

verb (used with object)

humiliated, humiliating

to cause (a person) a painful loss of pride, self-respect, or dignity.

Synonyms:

debase, abase, degrade, degrade, shame, mortify, disgrace, disgrace, dishonor

Antonyms:

elevate, exalt, dignify

humiliate British

/ hjuːˈmɪlɪˌeɪt, hjuːˈmɪljətɪv /

verb

(tr) to lower or hurt the dignity or pride of

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See ashamed, humbled.

Other Word Forms

humiliated adjective
humiliating adjective
humiliatingly adverb
humiliation noun
humiliative adjective
humiliator noun
humiliatory adjective
rehumiliate verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of humiliate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Late Latin humiliātus (past participle of humiliāre “to humble”), equivalent to Latin humili(s) humble + -ātus -ate ¹

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.

And now, without a single league win since last December, they are facing a humiliating emergency.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Our life is very humiliating here and we have very little fuel and food," says another Pakistani sailor, Zeeshan.

From BBC

If I can make it to the end of this humiliating moment, then whatever comes next won’t be quite as bad.

From Literature

"From a subjective point of view, it clearly created a hostile, humiliating and offensive environment for her."

From BBC

But no one here is out to humiliate anyone, which is nasty and unkind and not at all the sort of humor Lawrence trades in.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023