shame
Americannoun
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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
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susceptibility to this feeling.
to be without shame.
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disgrace; ignominy.
His actions brought shame upon his parents.
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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)
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to cause to feel shame; make ashamed.
His cowardice shamed him.
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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.
-
to drive, force, etc., through shame.
He shamed her into going.
-
to cover with ignominy or reproach; disgrace.
idioms
-
put to shame,
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to cause to suffer shame or disgrace.
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to outdo; surpass.
She played so well she put all the other tennis players to shame.
-
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for shame! you should feel ashamed!.
What a thing to say to your mother! For shame!
noun
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a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of having done something dishonourable, unworthy, degrading, etc
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capacity to feel such an emotion
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ignominy or disgrace
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a person or thing that causes this
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an occasion for regret, disappointment, etc
it's a shame you can't come with us
-
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to disgrace
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to surpass totally
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interjection
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informal
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an expression of sympathy
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an expression of pleasure or endearment
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verb
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to cause to feel shame
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to bring shame on; disgrace
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(often foll by into) to compel through a sense of shame
he shamed her into making an apology
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See name
More idioms and phrases containing shame
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
- half-shamed adjective
- outshame verb (used with object)
- shamable adjective
- shamably adverb
- shameable adjective
- shameably adverb
- unshamable adjective
- unshameable adjective
- unshamed adjective
Etymology
Origin of shame
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
Shame is a painful feeling that's a mix of regret, self-hate, and dishonor. A good person would feel shame if they cheated on a test or did something mean to a friend. Feeling shame — or being ashamed — is one of the most miserable feelings of them all. When you feel shame, you feel like a bad person and regret what you did. If you're trying to make someone else feel bad by scolding them, you're shaming them. People also often say, "That's a shame," when something bad happens — meaning it's sad or a pity.
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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.
He’s tired of the shame and the secrecy.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Ross Adams, from Cycling UK, says it is a shame the route is not accessible to all.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
Removing the cognitive strain of where food will come from also can reduce stigma and feelings of shame.
From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026
Job seekers also deal with the shame of being faked out, especially if they turned over money.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
From Duane’s point of view, that was a shame.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
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.