as in discredits
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 humiliates
Thecla humiliates him by ripping his robe and tearing the wreath off his head.
—
Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
To show him who’s boss, Catherine turns around and buys Pac-North, humiliates him by closing it, and forces him back to Grey Sloan.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
There’s always a moment in which somebody humiliates the villain and now all the love in him is gone.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
And Sacks, a PayPal Mafia member and veteran Silicon Valley investor, is just the sort of titan of industry this town routinely devours and humiliates — from Rex Tillerson to, well, Elon Musk.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
And whether the Carolina Panthers are just stuck in an endless loop of embarrassment, one that alternately humiliates and enrages their fans.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
To show him who’s boss, Catherine turns around and buys Pac-North, humiliates him by closing it, and forces him back to Grey Sloan.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
There’s always a moment in which somebody humiliates the villain and now all the love in him is gone.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
And Sacks, a PayPal Mafia member and veteran Silicon Valley investor, is just the sort of titan of industry this town routinely devours and humiliates — from Rex Tillerson to, well, Elon Musk.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
And whether the Carolina Panthers are just stuck in an endless loop of embarrassment, one that alternately humiliates and enrages their fans.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humiliates
Verb
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The praiseworthyness of having both sides of the debate evaporates when the host actively discredits the expert and reflexively enhances the legitimacy of the conspiracy theorist.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
1 Dec. 2025
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Maia and her boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hustcherson) are on the outs after Maia completely embarrasses herself at Dylan’s game night with his co-workers.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
21 Dec. 2025
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There, the father of the bride gets too drunk and embarrasses himself.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Critics say the sequence is built upon dubious data, overlooks racial disparities and shames students who are raised in single-parent households.—
Marissa Martinez,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Ioniq 9 shames the Lexus TX’s ride quality, feels far more premium than any Hyundai has a right to, and at first blush, matches that of the sublime Cadillac Lyriq in most ways.—
Cyril Soliman,
The Drive,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Those early days were quite something, and to know that moment meant something to you all these years on truly humbles me.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
18 Dec. 2025
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But Grande’s conceited blonde bubblehead gains in stature here as Glinda assumes statesmanlike responsibility to spread goodness in Oz, while experiencing crushing romantic disappointment that humbles her and deflates her vanity.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This is dangerous and degrades our country -- where are Senate Republicans?—
Justin Gomez,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
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The reactor facilitates rapid heat dissipation, preventing the thermal runaway that typically degrades catalysts.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Most frustratingly, the secret traitor demeans us, the audience.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
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That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.—
Noosheen Hashemi,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
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Where the Roma obscured the line between a classic grand tourer and a sports car with supercar tendencies, the Amalfi confuses things further.—
Jonny Lieberman,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Humiliates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humiliates. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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