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
Richard Flaste
mortifyingly
adverb
The document deluge has offered plenty of mortifyingly frank appraisals of foreign leaders …
—Hendrik Hertzberg
Hendrik Hertzberg
Examples of mortifying in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The answer might be a mortifying surprise.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
This is not a disaster or a triumph — this is just high school as a necessary, sometimes mortifying, and occasionally meaningful part of life.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
The mortifying moment comes at a time when international tourism continues to rebound strongly despite global uncertainty.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
What feels energizing to one person can feel mortifying to another.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
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The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
This is not a disaster or a triumph — this is just high school as a necessary, sometimes mortifying, and occasionally meaningful part of life.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
The mortifying moment comes at a time when international tourism continues to rebound strongly despite global uncertainty.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
What feels energizing to one person can feel mortifying to another.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mortifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mortifying. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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