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
Etymology
Origin of shameful
before 950; Middle English; Old English scamful. See shame, -ful
Explanation
Cheating to win a game is a shameful act because it goes against fairness and honesty. Any shameful act can leave you feeling guilty and embarrassed if you get caught — as it should. The word shameful describes actions or behaviors that are disgraceful. For example, cheating on a test or telling a hurtful lie are shameful acts because they betray the values of trustworthiness, honesty, and kindness. When someone does something shameful, they are held in a state of dishonor, leading to feelings of regret and a desire to try and make things right.
Vocabulary lists containing shameful
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.
O'Lali, 28, of Breton Court in Lisburn, was sentenced to two years and seven months in relation to what the judge described in court as a "shameful litany of events".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
It’s not shameful to fight, an idea many of us have internalized, she says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Transparency interrupts the vicious cycle where people think AI use is shameful, so they hide it; that secrecy makes everyone suspicious of everyone else, which only makes AI use seem even more shameful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
That case wouldn’t just go down as one of the most shameful moments in the court’s history; it was also the legal system’s most significant contribution in devolving the country into the Civil War.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Juniper is quite distressed. All her branches are turning yellow. The Council of Cloven Elders has revoked Grovers searchers license in absentia. Assuming he comes back alive, they will force him into a shameful exile.”
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
