disgraceful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disgraceful
Explanation
Anything disgraceful is shameful or shocking. No matter how angry you are at your younger sister, it would be disgraceful to destroy the Lego creation she painstakingly built. The adjective disgraceful is good for describing completely unacceptable behavior — if you do something disgraceful, you should feel ashamed about it. The internment of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II was a disgraceful episode in U.S. history. The word comes from the verb disgrace, "bring shame or reproach upon" or "a loss of grace."
Vocabulary lists containing disgraceful
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.
President Lee Jae Myung had expressed outrage "by this inhumane and disgraceful conduct" on X amid the backlash.
From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026
He called the strike "totally disgraceful", adding: "I will never forgive the unions if this jeopardises their futures."
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
“The breathtaking and disgraceful effort of Hill to undermine the jury process is unprecedented in South Carolina,” the five justices wrote in their unanimous opinion.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
"They made an appalling, disgraceful decision. If any of these individuals find their way back to Australia, if they have committed crimes, they can expect to face the full force of the law, without exception."
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Uncle Pa says that’s a disgraceful thing to do and Dad cries on his shoulder.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
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.
