shameful

adjective

shame·​ful ˈshām-fəl 

1

a

: bringing shame : disgraceful

b

: arousing the feeling of shame

2

archaic : full of the feeling of shame : ashamed

shamefully

ˈshām-fə-lē 

adverb

shamefulness noun

Synonyms of shameful

• notorious
• infamous
• shady
• immoral
• criminal
• disgraceful

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

The legislation won approval on a party-line vote after four hours of fiery debate during which Black legislators said the moment calls back to the state’s shameful Jim Crow-era history. —David A. Lieb, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Democrats denounced the legislation as a Republican power grab that harkens back to the state’s shameful history of denying Black residents equal rights and representation. —Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026

America’s refusal dates back to the nineteen-nineties; considering this, the current Administration’s actions can be seen only as a shameful continuation of our country’s failure to respect human rights, even on its own soil. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

Blanche is debasing himself and the law in this shameful pursuit. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

shameful

adjective

shame·​ful ˈshām-fəl 

1

: bringing shame

shameful behavior

2

: arousing the feeling of shame

a shameful sight

shamefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

shamefulness

-fəl-nəs

noun