shame
shame Lexical Profile
shame Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
"He bowed his head in deep shame after realizing how much his words had hurt his friend."
A loss of respect or esteem; a state of dishonor or public disgrace.
"The financial scandal brought lasting shame upon the entire organization."
A regrettable or unfortunate situation, action, or circumstance.
"It is a real shame that the historic theater was demolished to build a parking lot."
• verb
To make someone feel ashamed, humiliated, or disgraced.
"Publicly criticizing employees for minor mistakes only serves to shame them rather than improve their work."
To compel or pressure someone into doing something by arousing feelings of guilt or embarrassment.
"His friends finally shamed him into apologizing for his rude comment."
• interjection
Used as a cry of disapproval, reproach, or condemnation toward someone's actions.
"The crowd chanted "Shame!" as the corrupt official walked out of the courthouse."
Word Nuance & Usage
Unlike 'guilt', which focuses on a specific wrongdoing ('I did something bad'), 'shame' often involves a deeper negative evaluation of one's entire self ('I am bad').
• Rhymes for shame
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'scamu', meaning a painful feeling of guilt or disgrace, originating from Proto-Germanic '*skamo'.