humiliate

[ hyoo-mil-ee-eytor, often, yoo- ]

verb (used with object)

, hu·mil·i·at·ed, hu·mil·i·at·ing.

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

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

   Antonyms: elevate, exalt, dignify

humiliate

/ hjuːˈmɪljətɪv; hjuːˈmɪlɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. tr to lower or hurt the dignity or pride of

Derived Forms

• huˈmiliˌator, noun
• huˈmiliˌatingly, adverb
• huˈmiliatory, adjective
• humiliative, adjective
• huˈmiliˌating, adjective
• huˈmiliˌated, adjective
• huˌmiliˈation, noun

Other Words From

• hu·mil·i·a·tor noun
• hu·mil·i·a·to·ry [hyoo-, mil, -ee-, uh, -tawr-ee, yoo-], hu·mil·i·a·tive adjective
• re·hu·mil·i·ate verb (used with object) rehumiliated rehumiliating

Word History and Origins

Origin of humiliate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of humiliate¹

C16: from Late Latin humiliāre, from Latin humilis humble

Synonym Study

See ashamed, humbled.

Example Sentences

He had been humiliated by a Republican landslide in Congress in the 1946 midterms, and he was expected to get clobbered in the 1948 election.

From Washington Post

Why does he have to meet them in person and humiliate them and meet their kids and meet their boss and really go the extra mile and spend all that time and energy and, in the end, walk away with very little and just leave them in shambles.

From Vox

Nobody was looking for him except these women who had been victimized by him and had been bankrupted by him and humiliated by him.

From Vox

One thing that’s terrifying about him is how much humiliating these women is part of the fun for him.

From Vox

Facebook proved they would not move very far and there’s not one leverage point that can deter them except mass humiliation — which is unlikely since they control the central messaging platform that can humiliate them.

From Digiday

The same massive evidence trove body cameras create can, if used selectively, humiliate and indict average citizens.

From The Daily Beast

More girls are reporting their boyfriends stalk them via text message or threaten to humiliate them with social media.

From The Daily Beast

In the video, Al Sabawi, the father, tears the PA a new one for attempting to humiliate him and forgetting who the real enemy is.

From The Daily Beast

For most of them, this vote is a chance to humiliate Obama before the entire world.

From The Daily Beast

A chance to humiliate him not just in front of the Fox News audience, but the entire world!

From The Daily Beast

No good; he must humiliate himself again before those unspeakable aliens.

From Project Gutenberg

My repeated requests for assistance have been ignored by the overseer, who improves every opportunity to insult and humiliate me.

From Project Gutenberg

But men also humiliate us, degrade us, jeer at, ridicule the miseries that they and their society entail upon us.

From Project Gutenberg

The idea that one day he could humiliate himself thus, gave him a shudder of revolt.

From Project Gutenberg

That's not what I've come for, but I shall be delighted if I humiliate you a little by the way.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• confuse
• crush
• degrade
• demean
• depress
• disgrace
• humble
• shame
• snub
• subdue