humiliating

adjective

hu·​mil·​i·​at·​ing hyü-ˈmi-lē-ˌā-tiŋ How to pronounce humiliating (audio)
yü-
Synonyms of humiliatingnext
: extremely destructive to one's self-respect or dignity : humbling
humiliatingly adverb

Examples of humiliating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Iran’s first act of war against us was the 1979 seizure of the embassy in Tehran and the humiliating 444-day captivity of American diplomats. Elan Journo, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026 Suddenly the most humiliating gap in their reading repertoire is the winning ticket. Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026 The situation was painful and humiliating, but given the circumstances, the offensive nature of the incident could have been handled with common sense and empathy. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2026 Acceptance would be smart, but humiliating. David Frum, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for humiliating

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of humiliating was in 1757

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Cite this Entry

“Humiliating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humiliating. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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