humiliation
humiliation Lexical Profile
humiliation Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The painful feeling of being deeply ashamed, foolish, or injured in one's pride and self-respect, especially in front of others.
"He could barely conceal his humiliation after forgetting his lines during the opening monologue."
The action of humbling someone or an instance of reducing a person to a lower position of dignity and esteem.
"The lopsided defeat in the championship match was a public humiliation for the defending titleholders."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'embarrassment' often results from minor, accidental social awkwardness, 'humiliation' implies a much deeper, more painful loss of pride or dignity, frequently caused by the deliberate actions of others.
• Rhymes for humiliation
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French and Late Latin humiliātiōnem, from the verb humiliāre ('to humble'), ultimately derived from Latin humilis ('low, humble') and humus ('earth, ground').