shameful
Americanadjective
-
causing shame.
shameful behavior.
- Synonyms:
- humiliating
-
disgraceful or scandalous.
shameful treatment.
- Synonyms:
- low, base, vile, ignominious, dishonorable
- Antonyms:
- honorable
adjective
Other Word Forms
- shamefully adverb
- shamefulness noun
Etymology
Origin of shameful
before 950; Middle English; Old English scamful. See shame, -ful
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.
Opposition parties have told the BBC the Reform motion is "fear mongering" and the language "shameful".
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
“It can be stressful or shameful for each of them,” said Ellen Rogin, the author of “Messages from Money,” a book about emotions and finances.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026
A longstanding taboo in Chinese culture against used goods, seen as unclean or a shameful sign of poverty, is lifting rapidly.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
Maybe it is plainly shameful to sit idly by, waiting for the police to peel back more layers of abominable detail, so it can be quickly disseminated to a hungry audience.
From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026
Craziness was considered funny, like all other things that were in reality frightening and profoundly shameful.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
