mortify

verb

mor·​ti·​fy ˈmȯr-tə-ˌfī 

mortified; mortifying

transitive verb

1

: to subject to severe and vexing embarrassment : shame

was no longer mortified by comparisons between her sisters' beauty and her own

—Jane Austen

2

: to subdue or deaden (the body, bodily appetites, etc.) especially by abstinence or self-inflicted pain or discomfort

mortified his body for spiritual purification

3

obsolete : to destroy the strength, vitality, or functioning of

intransitive verb

1

: to practice mortification

2

: to become necrotic or gangrenous

treated his wound so that it would not mortify

Did you know?

The Deadly History of Mortify

Mortify once actually meant "put to death", but no longer. Its "deaden" sense is most familiar to us in the phrase "mortifying the flesh", which refers to a custom once followed by devout Christians, who would starve themselves, deprive themselves of every comfort, and even whip themselves in order to subdue their bodily desires and punish themselves for their sins. But the most common use of mortify today is the "humiliate" sense; its connection with death is still apparent when we speak of "dying of embarrassment".

Synonyms

• embarrass
• confuse

Examples of mortify in a Sentence

It mortified me to have to admit that I'd never actually read the book.

was mortified by her children's atrocious manners

Recent Examples on the Web

There was a period though where I was mortified to walk in a room or be at a party. —Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025

And that display from our fans was mortifying. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025

The people who have the most money and power are the first to give up, and, frankly, that should be mortifying for them. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025

What feels energizing to one person can feel mortifying to another. —Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mortifien, from Anglo-French mortifier, from Late Latin mortificare, from Latin mort-, mors

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Rhymes for mortify

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

mortify

verb

mor·​ti·​fy ˈmȯrt-ə-ˌfī 

mortified; mortifying

1

: to attempt to reduce or control bodily needs and desires through punishment and self-denial

2

: to embarrass greatly : humiliate

mortification

ˌmȯrt-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən

noun

Medical Definition

mortify

intransitive verb

mor·​ti·​fy ˈmȯrt-ə-ˌfī 

mortified; mortifying

: to become necrotic or gangrenous