shame

Formsshames, shaming, shamed

1. 1
   self-blamenoununcountable

   A bad feeling you get when you have done something wrong or embarrassing.

   Like a heavy weight you carry inside after doing something you wish you hadn't.

   She felt deep shame after lying to her parents.

   His face turned red with shame when everyone laughed.

   UsageSay feel shame or be ashamed.

   Similarembarrassment, humiliation, guilt, mortification

   Oppositepride

   Note
2. 2
   sad factnoununcountable

   A thing that is sad or disappointing and makes you wish it were different.

   Like rain on the one day you planned a picnic.

   It's a shame that the trip was canceled.

   What a shame the cake got ruined.

   UsageSay It's a shame or What a shame!

   Similarpity

   Note
3. 3
   public disgracenoununcountable

   A loss of honor and respect because of something bad that you or someone close to you did.

   Like a stain on your name that everyone can see.

   His crime brought shame to the whole town.

   They lived in shame after the scandal.

   UsageOften bring shame on someone.

   Similardisgrace, dishonor, humiliation, ignominy

   Oppositehonor, glory

   Note
4. 4
   blame publiclyverbtransitive

   To publicly blame someone for doing something wrong.

   Like a crowd pointing fingers at one person.

   People online shamed the company for wasting food.

   Thousands of people went online to shame the company for its rude ad.

   UsageOften shame someone for something.

   Similardenounce, condemn, pillory, humiliate

   Oppositepraise, commend

   Note
5. 5
   make feel smallverbtransitive

   To make someone feel ashamed, sometimes so that they will do something.

   Like pointing at someone's mistake until their cheeks go red.

   His rude comment shamed her in front of the class.

   Her kindness can shame him into saying sorry.

   UsageOften shame someone into doing something.

   Similarhumiliate, embarrass, mortify

6. 6
   decencynoununcountable

   A sense of right and wrong that stops you from acting badly.

   Like a small voice inside that says, 'Stop, that's not right.'

   Have you no shame, lying like that?

   A person with any shame would have apologized.

   UsageOften Have you no shame?

   Similardecency, modesty, conscience

   Note
7. 7
   cry of disapprovalinterjection

   Shouted to say that someone has done something wrong and should be blamed.

   Like a crowd booing, but with one sharp word instead.

   “Shame!” the crowd shouted as the official left the stage.

   When he defended the cuts, voices cried “Shame!” from the back.

   Note
8. 8
   dishonor (someone)verbtransitive

   To bring dishonor onto someone or something.

   Like dragging a clean name through the mud.

   His arrest shamed the entire family.

   Don't shame your country with bad manners abroad.

   Similardisgrace, dishonor, discredit

   Oppositehonor

9. 9
   a disgracenoununcountable

   A person or thing that brings dishonor to others.

   Like one rotten apple that makes the whole basket look bad.

   His behavior was a shame to the team.

   All that waste is a shame to us all.

   UsageSay someone is a shame to their family.

   Similardisgrace, embarrassment

   Oppositecredit

   Note

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