as in embarrassment
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable
the mortification of being dumped the night before the prom
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Recent Examples of mortification
But Constance offered no more in her own defense, for all her mortification.
—
Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
Oldman’s face, set in brooding concentration, evokes a pained, vaguely incredulous mortification, which builds to a bitter, almost paralyzing ruefulness.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Hong again employs the long table-time takes that have witnessed the mortification of so many drunken characters, this time skewering Donghwa.
—Nicolas Rapold, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
Whetstone said the power was with the poster and encouraged her mother to be remorseful, express mortification with her actions and work to make amends.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mortification
Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
Oldman’s face, set in brooding concentration, evokes a pained, vaguely incredulous mortification, which builds to a bitter, almost paralyzing ruefulness.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Hong again employs the long table-time takes that have witnessed the mortification of so many drunken characters, this time skewering Donghwa.
—Nicolas Rapold, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
Whetstone said the power was with the poster and encouraged her mother to be remorseful, express mortification with her actions and work to make amends.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mortification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mortification
Noun
-
The possible embarrassment of bleeding through the uniforms was a common distraction while competing, said Calabrese, who is the company’s chief marketing officer.—
Luisa Beltran,
Sportico.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Although the heat has everyone dealing with some degree of dampness, sweating is often a source of violent embarrassment for you.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Supporters argue that maintaining a consistent time year-round would reduce confusion, improve safety and enhance productivity.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Likely in response to the confusion, prominent cleric Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi on Saturday urged Iran’s Assembly of Experts to act quickly to name a new supreme leader.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sure, Profar has to deal with the humiliation of being caught and the bad publicity that comes with it.—
Brittany Ghiroli,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
On the flip side, deviating from perfection—not landing the lead in a school play or getting hormonal acne—registers as a personal humiliation rather than an inevitable part of growing up and being human.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mortification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mortification. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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