indignity
Americannoun
-
an injury to a person's dignity; slighting or contemptuous treatment; humiliating affront, insult, or injury.
- Synonyms:
- outrage
-
Obsolete. disgrace or disgraceful action.
noun
-
injury to one's self-esteem or dignity; humiliation
-
obsolete disgrace or disgraceful character or conduct
Related Words
See insult.
Etymology
Origin of indignity
First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin indignitās “unworthiness,” equivalent to indign(us) “undeserving, unworthy”( see indign) + -itās -ity
Explanation
An indignity is something embarrassing. An indignity is usually something that happens to us rather than something we do ourselves. As you might guess from that negative prefix in-, an indignity is a word that takes dignity (or self-esteem) away. If you find a fly in your soup, that's an indignity — not to mention protein. If you're making a speech and you realize your fly is open, that's a major indignity. Many people find waiting in line a long time to be an indignity. When you say "This is an indignity!" you're really saying, "I'm better than this, and I shouldn't have to deal with it." Needless to say, life is full of indignities.
Vocabulary lists containing indignity
Things Fall Apart
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"My Wonder Horse," Vocabulary from the short story
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 14–18
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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.
He would have to in order to keep enduring the indignity of being repeatedly cut.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
You can call that depressing, or an indignity, or a simple fact.
From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026
In once again going 3-0 down after three matches, they are left to battle against the indignity of a 5-0 clean sweep.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Even a draw would ensure they do not suffer the indignity of a clean sweep – England have been beaten 5-0 on three previous Ashes tours.
From BBC • Dec. 21, 2025
“You think me deluded. Tricked by my own walking fairytale. You think I came without a hope of winning— came to escape indignity by suicide!”
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.
