as in to discredit
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the reigning tennis champ was humiliated on the court by a newcomer who defeated him in straight sets
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Recent Examples of humiliate
Among the headlines following the game: USMNT humiliated by Switzerland 4-0.
—
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 11 June 2025
Then two of his classmates did something magical. 'And I was humiliated again'
The story Griffin started to tell began in first grade just after his family moved from one part of his suburban New York town to another, and Griffin was the new kid in school.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Why risk thousands of dollars to be humiliated and possibly denied entry?
—MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
In this case, a jealous pope (President Trump) delights in humiliating an upstart bishop (Gov. DeSantis) for having the temerity to challenge his supremacy as Autocrat In Chief.
—Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for humiliate
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 11 June 2025
Then two of his classmates did something magical. 'And I was humiliated again'
The story Griffin started to tell began in first grade just after his family moved from one part of his suburban New York town to another, and Griffin was the new kid in school.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Why risk thousands of dollars to be humiliated and possibly denied entry?
—MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
In this case, a jealous pope (President Trump) delights in humiliating an upstart bishop (Gov. DeSantis) for having the temerity to challenge his supremacy as Autocrat In Chief.
—Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for humiliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humiliate
Verb
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This is mainly an effort to discredit and demonize property taxes, which DeSantis wants to abolish or severely curtail in Florida.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
26 July 2025
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Trump’s theory here, juiced by Gabbard, is that Obama used talk of Russian election interference to discredit Trump’s 2016 election win and hobble his first term in office.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Manager Luis Enrique's side then embarrassed Inter Miami 4-0 in the round of 16 and survived two late red cards vs. Bayern Munich to win that quarterfinal battle 2-0. PSG vs. Real Madrid Injury, Suspension, Lineup News: Both teams will be missing key pieces along their back lines today.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
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The Nuggets, like the current Rockies, were embarrassing themselves regularly before posting an 11-71 record.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 July 2025
Verb
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Metal can tarnish or degrade when exposed to humidity, and many materials degrade when exposed to cardboard that isn't acid-free.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
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In the last year, Israel has managed to significantly degrade the capabilities of its adversaries, particularly Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and its June conflict with Iran – with the help of the U.S. – was widely seen as having dealt a significant blow to Tehran’s abilities to harm the Jewish state.—
Natasha Turak,
CNBC,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Humiliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humiliate. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
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