public shaming

American  

[puhb-lik shaym-ing] / ˈpʌb lɪk ˈʃeɪm ɪŋ /

noun

plural

public shamings

1. the act or practice of humiliating someone for their behavior or characteristics by mocking, harshly criticizing, or expressing moral outrage against them in the media or on social media.

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Example Sentences

Some leagues take the public shaming to extremes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Professor Julia Walters, sister of Ms Perry, said Ofsted's new plans "still put school leaders at risk of public shaming", and urged the Education Secretary to halt the rollout.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2025

Soon after that, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” reminded his viewers of how uncivil Leno was toward Lewinsky in an episode about public shaming.

From Salon • Jul. 31, 2025

In the absence of authority, a public shaming campaign was all but inevitable; it is, after all, the one way to exert pressure on a justice who appears to be in breach of the rules.

From Slate • Dec. 5, 2024

The beggars went back to the church steps, the stragglers moved off, and the neighbors departed so that the public shaming of Kino would not be in their eyes.

From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck