1
a
: bringing shame : disgraceful
b
: arousing the feeling of shame
2
archaic
: full of the feeling of shame : ashamed
shamefulness
noun
Examples of shameful in a Sentence
There is no excuse for such shameful behavior.
shameful behavior by a bunch of drunken boors
Recent Examples on the Web
Nevertheless, England brought him down repeatedly, often with considerable force, in a manner that is truly shameful when viewed today.
—
Michael Cox, New York Times, 3 June 2026
One of the big challenges for Washington, the rest of the cast, and Tarantino himself was telling their story in a way that would be true to the most shameful part of America’s history while also delivering the goods as an audience-pleasing action film — not an easy needle to thread.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 2 June 2026
The beginning of this short but deeply human missive indicts the racial politics of the era and the shameful legacy of slavery.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
These men considered the loss of control that such behavior implied-an animal urge indulged by weak men lacking the courage to fight other men directly-to be shameful.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shameful
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Michael Cox, New York Times, 3 June 2026
One of the big challenges for Washington, the rest of the cast, and Tarantino himself was telling their story in a way that would be true to the most shameful part of America’s history while also delivering the goods as an audience-pleasing action film — not an easy needle to thread.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 2 June 2026
The beginning of this short but deeply human missive indicts the racial politics of the era and the shameful legacy of slavery.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
These men considered the loss of control that such behavior implied-an animal urge indulged by weak men lacking the courage to fight other men directly-to be shameful.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shameful
Cite this Entry
“Shameful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shameful. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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