ignominy

noun

ig·​no·​mi·​ny ˈig-nə-ˌmi-nē 

-mə-nē,

 also  ig-ˈnä-mə-nē

plural ignominies

1

: deep personal humiliation and disgrace

2

: disgraceful or dishonorable conduct, quality, or action

Synonyms

• discredit
• disesteem
• disgrace
• dishonor
• disrepute
• infamy
• obloquy
• odium
• opprobrium
• reproach
• shame

Choose the Right Synonym for ignominy

disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, infamy, ignominy mean the state or condition of suffering loss of esteem and of enduring reproach.

disgrace often implies humiliation and sometimes ostracism.

sent home in disgrace

dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem.

preferred death to life with dishonor

disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation.

a once proud name fallen into disrepute

infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame.

a day that lives in infamy

ignominy stresses humiliation.

the ignominy of being arrested

Examples of ignominy in a Sentence

She had to endure the ignominy of being forced to resign.

the small ignominies that are a part of everyone's life

Recent Examples on the Web

But ignominy was the best place for Ilyin to hang his historical hat. —Anton Barbashin, Foreign Affairs, 20 Sep. 2015

The victory helped the Angels avoid the ignominy of losing consecutive games to a White Sox team that has now lost 116 games, steaming toward the major league record of 120. —Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register, 17 Sep. 2024

Most of how it’s made is perfectly in step with the darlings of the cocktail world—Chartreuse, Bénédictine, Fernet Branca—except only Jägermeister is singled out for ignominy. —Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2024

If Netanyahu meant for this trip to heap similar ignominy on President Biden, whom the Israeli leader has falsely accused of holding up shipments of weapons, then he was upstaged by Biden’s momentous decision Sunday to leave the presidential race. —Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French ignominie, from Latin ignominia, from ig- (as in ignorare to be ignorant of, ignore) + nomin-, nomen name, repute — more at name

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ignominy

noun

ig·​no·​mi·​ny ˈig-nə-ˌmin-ē 

ig-ˈnäm-ə-nē

plural ignominies

: deep humiliation and disgrace