inglorious

adjective

in·​glo·​ri·​ous (ˌ)in-ˈglȯr-ē-əs 

1

: shameful, ignominious

an inglorious defeat

2

: not glorious : lacking fame or honor

made an inglorious comeback

ingloriously adverb

ingloriousness noun

Examples of inglorious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite the inglorious ending, the Chi-Chi’s brand lived on through a decidedly mediocre jarred salsa available at grocery stores. — Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026

The former prime minister has remained a highly influential figure in Iraqi politics despite his inglorious exit from the office in 2014, thanks in large part to his skills as a politician and crisis manager. — Omar Abdulkader, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

Such inglorious bastardizations don't sit well with the actual footage of the camps shown subsequently. — NPR, 11 Nov. 2025

One was needed with a narrow temperature range; in Helm’s case, inglorious British maritime. — Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin inglorius, from in- + gloria glory

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for inglorious

• laborious
• notorious
• sartorius
• uproarious
• vainglorious
• victorious
• glorious
• meritorious

Kids Definition

inglorious

adjective

in·​glo·​ri·​ous (ˈ)in-ˈglōr-ē-əs 

-ˈglȯr-

1

: not glorious : not bringing honor or glory

2

: bringing disgrace : shameful

inglorious defeat

ingloriously adverb