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
Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.
—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
And the President doesn’t seem to mind if Vance humiliates himself running errands.
—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Later that season, Eric humiliates Bill in front of their Pierpoint colleagues by insulting his work quality and Bill dies from brain cancer.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Thecla humiliates him by ripping his robe and tearing the wreath off his head.
—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
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
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.
—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
And the President doesn’t seem to mind if Vance humiliates himself running errands.
—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Later that season, Eric humiliates Bill in front of their Pierpoint colleagues by insulting his work quality and Bill dies from brain cancer.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Thecla humiliates him by ripping his robe and tearing the wreath off his head.
—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
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
-
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.
-
Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.
Verb
-
Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.
-
Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?
Verb
-
A lot of the discussion around tablet use among kids shames parents, framing it as an example of lazy or bad parenting.
-
Here are 8 books that reveal covert lives, truths that society forbids or shames, and an effusion of vibrant spirit.
Verb
-
Janve, who centers his work in mountain landscapes, spoke at a press meeting about nature in the film functioning as a mirror that flatters and humbles its human subjects simultaneously.
-
Getting an injury, that’s one thing that humbles you.
Verb
-
Those with respiratory problems and sensitive groups could experience issues as our air quality degrades a bit with the dust lingering overhead.
-
Trump, on the other hand, belittles and degrades people every day.
Verb
-
Most frustratingly, the secret traitor demeans us, the audience.
-
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.
Verb
-
But nobody confuses Harvard Extension School classes with the real thing.
-
If a neighbor or sibling confuses the thread, summarize and invite a decision.
Cite this Entry
“Humiliates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humiliates. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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