as in notorious
not respectable
shameful behavior by a bunch of drunken boors
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Recent Examples of shameful
Given how often Caravaggio painted betrayal and violence, a sense of guilt, however sublimated, is often woven into the experience of his work, the shameful feeling of being a passerby who sees all but fails to intervene.
—
Nicole Krauss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Something shameful felt very near, almost on top of him.
—Mary Gaitskill, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
That doesn’t mean things have always been done right; reports that police and sanitation workers have in some circumstances simply discarded or destroyed inhabitants’ belongings without giving them the ability to pack up are shameful.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026
To acknowledge the troubling, shameful aspects of American history is not to denigrate the Founders but to see them, and the others who made their livelihoods possible, as people.
—Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shameful
Nicole Krauss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Something shameful felt very near, almost on top of him.
—Mary Gaitskill, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
That doesn’t mean things have always been done right; reports that police and sanitation workers have in some circumstances simply discarded or destroyed inhabitants’ belongings without giving them the ability to pack up are shameful.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026
To acknowledge the troubling, shameful aspects of American history is not to denigrate the Founders but to see them, and the others who made their livelihoods possible, as people.
—Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shameful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shameful
Adjective
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But after her film career abruptly ended in the mid 1970s, Bardot became notorious in her home country for her extreme right-wing politics.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
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The dish notorious for curing a cold is a recipe that every home cook should keep in their back pocket for sick days and cozy nights alike.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But another, on a purely narrative level, is how the Wiggin sisters were driven by a domineering dad, Austin Wiggin, as much as the Wilson brothers were by the infamous Murray Wilson, as Pat Thomas notes in the movie (also bringing up Joe Jackson as an even scarier reference).—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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Both shows were infamous for their lack of budget, but would only share the screen for two years after Who was cancelled in 1989.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This Editorial Board took particular umbrage at the shady origins of the proposal.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
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There’s something slightly shady about this time of year, too, where mid-major talent gets showcased so that the players can get plucked out of school by the major conferences.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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More and more people are avoiding dating or befriending those with opposing political views, and growing numbers describe those on the other side as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent.—
Justin Callais,
Twin Cities,
5 Mar. 2026
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More and more people are avoiding dating or befriending those with opposing political views, and growing numbers describe those on the other side as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent.—
Justin Callais,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The jury acquitted Contreras-Gafaro of nine additional charges, including theft in a range of $20,000 to $100,000, felony menacing, third-degree assault, child abuse, false imprisonment and criminal mischief, according to court records.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
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Pennsylvania State Police and its criminal investigation unit responded to the scene, and the coroner has also been notified.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Noem’s insistence on filming arrest operations was both disgraceful and counterproductive.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
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This was a cheap and disgraceful end to a wonderful sporting event designed to bring the world closer together, not alienate half of the globe’s population.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shameful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shameful. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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