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
Though the indignity ran deep, our ancestors refused to bow.
—John E. Jackson Sr, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
The family members either submitted to the indignities—the false testimony, the obscene bullet fees—or were asked for bribes as high as $7,000 to avoid consigning their relatives to mass graves.
—Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
The remedy is finding laughter amongst the indignities.
—Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026
Sam later apologizes for all the indignities the Muppets have made the great artist suffer, but Nureyev won’t hear it.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for indignity
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John E. Jackson Sr, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
The family members either submitted to the indignities—the false testimony, the obscene bullet fees—or were asked for bribes as high as $7,000 to avoid consigning their relatives to mass graves.
—Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
The remedy is finding laughter amongst the indignities.
—Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026
Sam later apologizes for all the indignities the Muppets have made the great artist suffer, but Nureyev won’t hear it.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 June 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 20 Jun. 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
