indignity
noun
in·dig·ni·ty
in-ˈdig-nə-tē 
plural indignities
1
a
: an act or occurrence that offends against a person's dignity or self-respect : insult
… every little indignity that ever happened to them, and every two-bit feud, magnified …—
Wilfred Sheed
Wilfred Sheed
b
: humiliating treatment
… a buccal swab, which involves a brief and minimal intrusion … does not increase the indignity already attendant to normal incidents of arrest.—Maryland v. King, 569 U.S. 435 (2013)
Maryland v. King, 569 U.S. 435 (2013)2
obsolete
: lack or loss of dignity or honor
Examples of indignity in a Sentence
He remembers all the indignities he had to suffer in the early years of his career.
We must endure the indignities of growing old.
He suffered the indignity of being forced to leave the courtroom.
The indignity of it all was too much to bear.
Recent Examples on the Web
This time around, aside from warding off mental demons that arose from her crash, Shiffrin, at 30, must also fight the indignities of age.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Williamson’s pugnacious lyrics are grounded in manual labor and local indignities, but Planet X’s malaise transcends any neighborhood or job site, toeing the line between angst and grievance.
—Pete Tosiello, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2026
Asylum-seekers from Gaza fleeing a genocide have no place in The Homeland; Afrikaners suffering the indignity of post-apartheid are welcome.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
Nix made sure the Broncos did not suffer the worst indignity, allowing playoff road teams to improve to 2-85 when finishing minus-3 in the turnover battle.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for indignity
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Sean Gregory, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Williamson’s pugnacious lyrics are grounded in manual labor and local indignities, but Planet X’s malaise transcends any neighborhood or job site, toeing the line between angst and grievance.
—Pete Tosiello, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2026
Asylum-seekers from Gaza fleeing a genocide have no place in The Homeland; Afrikaners suffering the indignity of post-apartheid are welcome.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
Nix made sure the Broncos did not suffer the worst indignity, allowing playoff road teams to improve to 2-85 when finishing minus-3 in the turnover battle.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for indignity
Cite this Entry
“Indignity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indignity. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
indignity
noun
in·dig·ni·ty
in-ˈdig-nət-ē
plural indignities
1
: an act that injures a person's dignity or self-respect : insult
2
: humiliating treatment
Legal Definition
indignity
noun
in·dig·ni·ty
in-ˈdig-nə-tē
plural indignities
: persistent and intolerable behavior toward a spouse especially as a manifestation of settled estrangement
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
