shame
the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another: She was overcome with shame.
susceptibility to this feeling: to be without shame.
disgrace; ignominy: His actions brought shame upon his parents.
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.
to cause to feel shame; make ashamed: His cowardice shamed him.
to publicly humiliate or shame for being or doing something specified (usually used in combination): kids who've been fat-shamed and bullied; dog-shaming pictures of canines chewing up shoes.
to drive, force, etc., through shame: He shamed her into going.
to cover with ignominy or reproach; disgrace.
Idioms about shame
for shame! you should feel ashamed!: What a thing to say to your mother! For shame!
put to shame,
to cause to suffer shame or disgrace.
to outdo; surpass:She played so well she put all the other tennis players to shame.
Origin of shame
1synonym study For shame
Other words for shame
Opposites for shame
Other words from shame
- sham·a·ble, shame·a·ble, adjective
- sham·a·bly, shame·a·bly, adverb
- half-shamed, adjective
- outshame, verb (used with object), out·shamed, out·sham·ing.
- un·sham·a·ble, adjective
- un·shame·a·ble, adjective
- un·shamed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use shame in a sentence
Every time a victim comes forward and is shamed, judged, or ridiculed, I remember what it felt like to not be believed.
(3) Businesses that ask creative professionals to work in exchange for “exposure” should be publicly named and shamed.
Being shamed by her church was tantamount to losing her community and her job.
But such branding ostracizes that behavior, like the film should be forced to wear a dunce cap and publicly shamed in the corner.
Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt Is the Everydude Superhero | Kevin Fallon | August 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt was her flaws, her failures, her struggles with her weight and her self-esteem, and her refusal to be shamed by them.
“I would be shamed to death,” Jessie declared, her face flushing almost angrily, for sometimes Amy did try her.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn | Margaret PenroseMany will be shamed into apology, who would annoy you for hours, if you encouraged them by acts of rudeness on your own part.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness | Florence HartleyAnd Genevieve, remembering Elsie's shamed, red face, decided suddenly that Elsie's secret was not hers to tell.
The Sunbridge Girls at Six Star Ranch | Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) PorterThen, hurriedly, with flushed cheeks and shamed eyes, she thrust the letter out of sight under the papers.
The Sunbridge Girls at Six Star Ranch | Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter"I did indeed," Hilda replied, and bent her shamed head upon her hands again in the confession.
Hilda | Sarah Jeanette Duncan
British Dictionary definitions for shame
/ (ʃeɪm) /
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of having done something dishonourable, unworthy, degrading, etc
capacity to feel such an emotion
ignominy or disgrace
a person or thing that causes this
an occasion for regret, disappointment, etc: it's a shame you can't come with us
put to shame
to disgrace
to surpass totally
Southern African informal
an expression of sympathy
an expression of pleasure or endearment
to cause to feel shame
to bring shame on; disgrace
(often foll by into) to compel through a sense of shame: he shamed her into making an apology
name and shame See name (def. 17)
Origin of shame
1Derived forms of shame
- shamable or shameable, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with shame
In addition to the idiom beginning with shame
- shame on you
also see:
- crying shame
- for shame
- put to shame
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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