ignominious

adjective

ˌig-nə-ˈmi-nē-əs How to pronounce ignominious (audio)
Definition of ignominiousnext
1
as in notorious
not respectable some of his friends considered the low-level job to be an ignominious fate for the laid-off executive

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency the prison guards degraded themselves with their inhumane, ignominious treatment of the prisoners

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ignominious Every sports fan loves the unexpected, such as an underdog victory or a champion’s early and ignominious exit. — Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 June 2026 On the heels of becoming the first top seed to lose its regional opener, UCLA leaned into its late-game heroics to avoid ignominious history. — Josh Gross, Daily News, 31 May 2026 What was seen as the injustice of her ignominious end on the gallows was at least one factor of many that propelled a move to war. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 Everlane is not the only relic of the ethical consumption era to find itself in ignominious circumstances. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for ignominious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignominious
  1. notorious
  2. vile
  3. infamous
  4. nasty
  5. criminal
  6. dirty
  7. shady
  8. ignoble
Adjective
  • Newsom’s blanket commutation request includes notorious prisoners like Charles Ng, Richard Allen Davis, and Cary Stayner.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Pink Floyd is notorious for not having professionally recorded very many, if any, concerts in the mid- and late ’70s, but this bootleg is said to have mixed and mastered to a level close enough to pro standards for an official release.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of notorious
Adjective
  • Police quickly identified her husband as the prime suspect, but what could drive a seemingly normal man to perform such a vile act?
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Ilhan Omar turns her defense over to a vile purveyor of hate.
    — , FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of vile
Adjective
  • Both had made it to the third week of training, with Hell Week, the infamous 5 1/2-day endurance test starting in the fourth week.
    — James LaPorta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Among the garments expected to go on view are Marc Jacobs’s 1990s grunge collection for Perry Ellis, and the Calvin Klein jeans worn by Brooke Shields in her infamous 1980 ad for the brand.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of infamous
Adjective
  • Surely, though, it is not lost on the audience that this play opens in the middle of a strikingly nasty political campaign to elect members of the Chicago school board, warring Democrats all.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Someone who hung up on your problem is unlikely to listen to a nasty critique and vow to reform.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of nasty
Adjective
  • Also Sunday, prosecutors ordered a 48-hour detention of Marko Kricak, Vucic's chief of criminal police.
    — MARKO DROBNJAKOVIC, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Linn County prosecutors did not file criminal charges, but the church would not allow Moore to work with children, youth and vulnerable adults.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Floor around the fryers, floor under and around the drive thru drink station and floor under and around stationary equipment is visibly dirty.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Using the same sponge for every surface and spill could be making your kitchen dirtier every time.
    — Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • In addition, consumer devices, including smart TVs and routers, can be secretly ensnared by such proxy services via malware or shady third-party software development kits (SDKs).
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • In making an explicit pledge not to sell customer data to outside firms, Ford is trying to position itself as one of the better actors in an industry rife with shady practices.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • The prizes’ name is a reference to Ignatius (Ig) Nobel—a fictional character said to be a distant cousin of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel, for whom the Nobel Prizes are named—and is also a pun on the word ignoble.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This is an ignoble war making monsters and fools out of its participants, and against the uncontrollable weapons that are dragons, everyone’s resolve is crumbling.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 June 2026
Definition of ignoble

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ignominies
ignominious
ignominy
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Cite this Entry

“Ignominious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignominious. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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