shameful

adjective

shame·​ful ˈshām-fəl How to pronounce shameful (audio)
1
a
: bringing shame : disgraceful
b
: arousing the feeling of shame
2
archaic : full of the feeling of shame : ashamed
shamefully adverb
shamefulness noun

Examples of shameful in a Sentence

There is no excuse for such shameful behavior. shameful behavior by a bunch of drunken boors
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not holding my breath for Mike Johnson or Elise Stefanik to state the obvious that this is unacceptable, dangerous, & shameful. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 Wisconsin tribal leaders applaud Biden's apology for shameful Indian boarding schools In 2020, both the Biden and Trump campaigns made efforts to address Indigenous issues. Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2024 But more migrants, moving farther into remote backlands to elude the Border Patrol, have died in scorching desert heat, a shameful indicator that enforcement is having an effect in many places. Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024 If the narrative of the 20th century is one of male greatness and genius, a pantheon of figures such as Nietzsche and Freud, Tokarczuk insists that this history obscures a world of shameful sexism. Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shameful 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of shameful was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near shameful

Cite this Entry

“Shameful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shameful. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

shameful

adjective
shame·​ful ˈshām-fəl How to pronounce shameful (audio)
1
: bringing shame
shameful behavior
2
: arousing the feeling of shame
a shameful sight
shamefully adverb
shamefulness
-fəl-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on shameful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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