shame 1 of 2

noun

ˈshām How to pronounce shame (audio)
Definition of shamenext
1
as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing racked with shame over her actions of the previous week

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2
as in pity
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a shame you won't be able to come to the party

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3
as in disgrace
the state of having lost the esteem of others left the room in shame after his angry outburst

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shame

2 of 2

verb

as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes shamed the family name with his conviction for embezzlement

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shame
Noun
Gone are the days of readers hiding their romance titles in shame. — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026 Any guilt or shame that comes from this evaluation can spill over into what foods are served freely at home and which are restricted. — Bryn Beeder, The Conversation, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
The episode also captured a persistent cultural appetite for shaming teachers. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026 In that same 2023 Pew Research report, over half of non-Spanish-speaking Latinos reported being shamed for not knowing the language. — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shame
  1. remorse
  2. pity
  3. disgrace
  4. humiliate
  5. guilt
  6. discredit
  7. regret
  8. embarrass
Noun
  • Prosecutors urged a lengthy sentence based on Skroko’s criminal history and lack of remorse.
    — Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
  • At the hearing, prosecutors argued for life in prison, citing the brothers’ decadeslong assaults of dozens of women (over 70 have come forward) and lack of remorse.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of remorse
Noun
  • The pity of the judge who imprisoned them here was cold comfort for a group of people who had little reason to trust any legal authority.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Still, the track eventually collides into a seasick wall of distortion that recalls lovesliescrushing’s weightless takes on shoegaze as Pitchkites sings of unmet expectations and self pity.
    — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of pity
Noun
  • Seeing Mike Caruso’s name on the ballot (for Palm Beach court clerk) was a disgrace.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
  • After The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal wrote stories in 2021 about the emails, Gruden resigned in disgrace as Raiders coach, walking away from about $60 million remaining on his contract and endorsement opportunities.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of disgrace
Verb
  • From the very start, the students assigned as guards went on cruel power trips and repeatedly humiliated — if not psychologically tortured — the inmates, to the point that some of the prisoners suffered nervous breakdowns.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The Packers come off an angry loss while the Panthers were humiliated on Sunday.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of humiliate
Noun
  • Another study found that Americans felt less collective guilt about harm done to Iraqis when they were reminded of 9/11—and even when they were reminded of Pearl Harbor.
    — Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
  • But her fumbling coming-of-age is fraught with guilt, mostly about Callie and her shattered mother.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of guilt
Verb
  • In his closing arguments Monday, Nov 2, attorney Ian Winter worked to discredit and downplay the six women whose allegations anchor the criminal case against Brand (via Sky News).
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2026
  • With the midterms now days away, the complaint is part of an urgent effort to discredit Peltola in a must-win Senate race that could easily determine the upper chamber’s majority.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of discredit
Noun
  • The forcefulness of their singing conveys desperation, but preempts so much of the nuance that enlivens their songs—the fundamental regret in their voice grinding against the fundamental determination.
    — Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
  • As love, lust and regret take hold of the court, Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk), the charming crown prince of the Western Kingdom, turns his eye to Navier.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of regret
Verb
  • The Jets have already been embarrassed by the Bears and Dolphins this season.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The colliding scandals embarrassed the city of South Lake Tahoe, a Sierra Nevada enclave of about 21,000 people near the Nevada border, where residents addressed the situation at an emotional City Council meeting last year.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of embarrass

Browse Nearby Words

shambolic
shame
shamed
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Cite this Entry

“Shame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shame. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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