indignity

noun

in·dig·ni·ty | \ in-ˈdig-nə-tē

plural indignities

Definition of indignity

1a : an act that offends against a person's dignity or self-respect : insult

b : humiliating treatment

2 obsolete : lack or loss of dignity or honor

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about indignity

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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

To West, Kenney’s position on Mill was just the latest indignity for the people who grew up with Jim Kenney in South Philly. — Andrew Seidman, Philly.com, "'He forgot where he came from': Is support for Mayor Kenney fading in his old South Philly neighborhood?," 23 May 2018 Knowing this in advance won’t make the movie any less punishing: Between the indignities suffered by Pete and the steady trickle of misfortunes that befall perceptive, open-hearted Charley, Lean on Pete is a workout. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, "Lean on Pete Has Too Much Horse Heartbreak to Bear," 30 Mar. 2018 The docuseries is a mixed bag of selfless activism, self-promotion and gut-wrenching accounts by McGowan and other women about the indignities suffered at the hands of those who abused them. — Lorraine Ali, latimes.com, "'Citizen Rose' keeps the #MeToo conversation, and Rose McGowan's career, alive," 30 Jan. 2018 Rebuilding teams would be matched against one another so no bad team had to suffer the indignity of getting smashed and no good team had to take on a blowout win that would do nothing for its playoff résumé. — Andy Staples, SI.com, "The Perfect Roles for Les Miles's Budding Acting Career," 30 May 2018 A decade after my book came out, sources still pepper me with new indignities. — Daniel Golden, Town & Country, "How Wealthy Families Manipulate Admissions at Elite Universities," 21 Nov. 2016 Owners of luxury cars won't have to suffer such indignities, since the higher price tag paid likely would have already included an internet connection. — chicagotribune.com, "Pop-up ads in your car? It could be the next big thing," 6 Mar. 2018 The Google Glass of personal transportation: functional, novel, and sold to people who couldn’t notice their own indignity. — James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "What Happened When I Rode a Boosted Board From New York to Philadelphia," 27 Dec. 2018 How ought outspoken survivors all feel, having aired indignities and pain publicly and across generations, to receive lip service from politicians, but ultimately see justice evaporate again? — Sarah Stankorb, Glamour, "Are Hashtags Like #MeToo and #BelieveWomen Hurting or Helping Survivors?," 15 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indignity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.