shame 1 of 2

noun

ˈshām How to pronounce shame (audio)
Definition of shamenext
1
as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing racked with shame over her actions of the previous week

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2
as in pity
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a shame you won't be able to come to the party

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3
as in disgrace
the state of having lost the esteem of others left the room in shame after his angry outburst

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shame

2 of 2

verb

as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes shamed the family name with his conviction for embezzlement

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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 shame
Noun
But when a traumatic drunken night resurfaces, Júlía must confront shame, family responsibilities and the courage to tell her own story, reads the logline. — Annika Pham, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 Symptoms range from feelings of rage or shame to thoughts of suicide. — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
City officials insist this isn't about publicly shaming drivers. — Elijah Westbrook, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Monday’s decision invalidates various provider mandates that the clinic owners argued were designed to scare and shame people out of terminating pregnancies. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shame
  1. remorse
  2. pity
  3. disgrace
  4. humiliate
  5. guilt
  6. discredit
  7. regret
  8. embarrass
Noun
  • But what ultimately saves the film is Hathaway's remarkable restraint in conveying Kym's deep pain and remorse over an unimaginable family tragedy.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Visits by Japanese leaders frequently draw criticism from China and South Korea, which see them as a sign of insufficient remorse for Japan’s wartime aggression.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of remorse
Noun
  • Maceta, moved to pity at times, would put an ear to his friend’s chest and hear how Ruiz’s heart leaped about inside his body, as though trying to fly apart.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The actress was at a tipping point in her career, shifting from easily relatable protagonists to more complicated characters who didn’t require our affection or our pity.
    — Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pity
Noun
  • When Spiro Agnew resigned in disgrace over tax evasion, Kennerly was tapped to photograph one of his potential replacements as vice president, Gerald Ford.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Until Graham Platner’s Maine Senate campaign exploded in disgrace, Platner was routinely cast as a son of privilege playing Carhartt dress-up.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of disgrace
Verb
  • Much of the behavior on display is plainly harassment and bullying, often filmed without the subjects’ knowledge or consent and uploaded online to humiliate them further.
    — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In their first national title game, the Wildcats humiliated Oklahoma in the national semifinal by 44, and in their second, demoralized Michigan in the title game by 17.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of humiliate
Noun
  • Four suspects pleaded guilty, including mastermind David Voss, and Benji admitted guilt and had his case administered through a First Nations restorative justice program, while charges against two were dropped, CityNews notes.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Paxton did not have to admit guilt, but was required to pay $300,000 in restitution and complete community service.
    — Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of guilt
Verb
  • Inflicting these details on the jury, the children’s family members, and the public served no discernible purpose in establishing Clancy’s mens rea, which might have discredited her not-guilty plea.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The indictment became a rallying point to discredit not only the SPLC but the wider body of research on hate groups and political extremism.
    — Art Jipson, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of discredit
Noun
  • Those patterns eventually point to no-regrets moves and larger strategic shifts.
    — Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Amid the chatter about comeuppance, the celebrity blogger’s sister said that her brother is a good person who has expressed regret over the tone of some of his early-career scandals.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of regret
Verb
  • For example, a relative’s benign remark about the texture of a turkey dinner at a family gathering might be interpreted by someone with schizophrenia as a statement meant to embarrass them.
    — Matthew Kurtz, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
  • College students should not have to worry about their parents embarrassing them to an audience of thousands.
    — Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrass

Browse Nearby Words

shambolic
shame
shamed
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Cite this Entry

“Shame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shame. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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