shame
the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another: She was overcome with shame.
susceptibility to this feeling: to be without shame.
disgrace; ignominy: His actions brought shame upon his parents.
a fact or circumstance bringing disgrace or regret: The bankruptcy of the business was a shame. It was a shame you couldn't come with us.
to cause to feel shame; make ashamed: His cowardice shamed him.
to publicly humiliate or shame for being or doing something specified (usually used in combination): kids who've been fat-shamed and bullied; dog-shaming pictures of canines chewing up shoes.
to drive, force, etc., through shame: He shamed her into going.
to cover with ignominy or reproach; disgrace.
Idioms about shame
for shame! you should feel ashamed!: What a thing to say to your mother! For shame!
put to shame,
to cause to suffer shame or disgrace.
to outdo; surpass:She played so well she put all the other tennis players to shame.
Origin of shame
1synonym study For shame
Other words for shame
Opposites for shame
Other words from shame
- sham·a·ble, shame·a·ble, adjective
- sham·a·bly, shame·a·bly, adverb
- half-shamed, adjective
- outshame, verb (used with object), out·shamed, out·sham·ing.
- un·sham·a·ble, adjective
- un·shame·a·ble, adjective
- un·shamed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for shame
/ (ʃeɪm) /
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of having done something dishonourable, unworthy, degrading, etc
capacity to feel such an emotion
ignominy or disgrace
a person or thing that causes this
an occasion for regret, disappointment, etc: it's a shame you can't come with us
put to shame
to disgrace
to surpass totally
Southern African informal
an expression of sympathy
an expression of pleasure or endearment
to cause to feel shame
to bring shame on; disgrace
(often foll by into) to compel through a sense of shame: he shamed her into making an apology
name and shame See name (def. 17)
Origin of shame
1Derived forms of shame
- shamable or shameable, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with shame
In addition to the idiom beginning with shame
- shame on you
also see:
- crying shame
- for shame
- put to shame
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse