ignominiously
Americanadverb
Explanation
Things that happen ignominiously occur in a shameful, dishonorable, or underhanded way. If a baseball team is defeated ignominiously, it's so badly trounced that every player feels embarrassed about the game. If a government uses violence against political protesters, silencing them and blocking their access to reporters and the Internet, it behaves ignominiously. If you cheat on a test, you're acting ignominiously and should feel ashamed about it. In Latin, ignominiosus means "disgraceful or shameful," from the root ignominia, literally "loss of a good name." In other words, if you act ignominiously, you risk losing your good name.
Vocabulary lists containing ignominiously
The Scarlet Letter
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Adam West (1928-2017) Tribute List
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Bartleby the Scrivener
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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.
A glorious 13 years at Real Madrid began ignominiously when he was voted 'worst signing of 2012' in a poll by Madrid-based sports daily Marca.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
In 1938, voters ousted the ignominiously corrupt Frank Shaw, electing reformer Fletcher Bowron in his place.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2025
So are the kids, who ignominiously dispose of the corpse and then realize they need money for food.
From New York Times ● Apr. 11, 2024
The conflict ended ignominiously for Italy at the 1896 Battle of Adwa, when its troops encountered a much larger Ethiopian force.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022
His mother dreamed of placing him as a cadet in the navy, but he ignominiously failed to pass the necessary examination.
From Paul Gauguin, His Life and Art by John Gould Fletcher
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.
