shame

[sheym]

noun

1. the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another.

   She was overcome with shame.

   Antonyms: self-respect, self-esteem, pride

2. susceptibility to this feeling.

   to be without shame.

3. disgrace; ignominy.

   His actions brought shame upon his parents.

4. a fact or circumstance bringing disgrace or regret.

   The bankruptcy of the business was a shame. It was a shame you couldn't come with us.

verb (used with object)

shamed, shaming 

1. to cause to feel shame; make ashamed.

   His cowardice shamed him.

   Synonyms: embarrass, abash, humble, mortify, humiliate

2. to publicly humiliate or shame for being or doing something specified (usually used in combination): dog-shaming pictures of canines chewing up shoes.

   kids who've been fat-shamed and bullied;

   dog-shaming pictures of canines chewing up shoes.

3. to drive, force, etc., through shame.

   He shamed her into going.

4. to cover with ignominy or reproach; disgrace.

shame

/ ʃeɪm /

noun

1. a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of having done something dishonourable, unworthy, degrading, etc

2. capacity to feel such an emotion

3. ignominy or disgrace

4. a person or thing that causes this

5. an occasion for regret, disappointment, etc

   it's a shame you can't come with us

6. 1. to disgrace

   2. to surpass totally

interjection

1. informal

   1. an expression of sympathy

   2. an expression of pleasure or endearment

verb

1. to cause to feel shame

2. to bring shame on; disgrace

3. (often foll by into) to compel through a sense of shame

   he shamed her into making an apology

4. See name

Other Word Forms

• shamable adjective
• shameable adjective
• shamably adverb
• shameably adverb
• half-shamed adjective
• outshame verb (used with object)
• unshamable adjective
• unshameable adjective
• unshamed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shame¹

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English sc(i)amu; cognate with German Scham, Old Norse skǫmm; (verb) Middle English schamen, shamien “to be ashamed,” Old English sc(e)amian, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of shame¹

Old English scamu; related to Old Norse skömm, Old High German skama

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. put to shame,

   1. to cause to suffer shame or disgrace.

   2. to outdo; surpass.

      She played so well she put all the other tennis players to shame.

2. for shame! you should feel ashamed!.

   What a thing to say to your mother! For shame!

More idioms and phrases containing shame

• crying shame
• for shame
• put to shame

Synonym Study

Shame, embarrassment, mortification, humiliation, chagrin designate different kinds or degrees of painful feeling caused by injury to one's pride or self-respect. Shame is a painful feeling caused by the consciousness or exposure of unworthy or indecent conduct or circumstances: One feels shame at being caught in a lie. It is similar to guilt in the nature and origin of the feeling. Embarrassment usually refers to a feeling less painful than that of shame, one associated with less serious situations, often of a social nature: embarrassment over breaking a teacup at a party. Mortification is a more painful feeling, akin to shame but also more likely to arise from specifically social circumstances: his mortification at being singled out for rebuke. Humiliation is mortification at being humbled in the estimation of others: Being ignored gives one a sense of humiliation. Chagrin is humiliation mingled with vexation or anger: She felt chagrin at her failure to remember her promise.

Example Sentences

There he speaks with self-deprecating humor about the shame of having been born in working-class Brooklyn.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

During this same period, the national rate of childhood obesity nearly tripled, in many cases triggering what the author calls a “lifelong cycle of shame.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s way too easy to shame people for taking on too much debt.

Read more on MarketWatch

Now aged 17, settled and living independently after several previous moves, Liam takes responsibility for his behaviour, but says it is "a shame that it's impacted what I call a family".

Read more on BBC

It’s a real shame Mr. Út didn’t speak to the people behind “The Stringer” because, given his absence, the film becomes far too much of an exercise in shame.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• confusion 
• contempt 
• guilt 
• humiliation 
• irritation 
• remorse 
• scandal 
• stigma