mortifying

adjective

mor·​ti·​fy·​ing ˈmȯr-tə-ˌfī-iŋ 

: causing feelings of strong shame or embarrassment

a mortifying experience

They would tell each other secrets that no one else would hear, they would discuss sex in a way that would be mortifying in other company.

—Richard Flaste

mortifyingly adverb

The document deluge has offered plenty of mortifyingly frank appraisals of foreign leaders …

—Hendrik Hertzberg

Examples of mortifying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Self-mortifying pamagdarame rituals, including whipping and crucifixion, likewise have roots in medieval Christian tradition. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026

There was once a time when a visible slip was considered a mortifying fashion faux pas. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 2 July 2026

Iran got the United States to sign a document that even Americans described as degrading, mortifying, a total capitulation. — Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026

The second, a 2-1 home defeat, was mortifying. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mortifying

• applying
• belying
• complying
• decrying
• defying
• denying
• implying
• outlying
• relying
• replying
• supplying
• undying