Synonyms of shame

shame 1 of 2

noun

ˈshām 

1

as in remorse

a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing

racked with shame over her actions of the previous week

Synonyms & Similar Words

• remorse
• guilt
• regret
• remorsefulness
• sadness
• repentance
• contrition
• grief
• penitence
• rue
• sorrow
• self-reproach
• blame
• anguish
• embarrassment
• contriteness
• apology
• qualm
• compunction
• responsibility
• culpability
• chagrin
• misgiving
• scruple
• prick
• distress
• fault
• ruth
• excuses
• liability
• rap
• mea culpa
• hand-wringing
• bloodguilt
• bloodguiltiness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• impenitence
• remorselessness

2

as in pity

a regrettable or blameworthy act

it's a shame you won't be able to come to the party

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pity
• disgrace
• crime
• sin
• scandal
• outrage

3

as in disgrace

the state of having lost the esteem of others

left the room in shame after his angry outburst

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disgrace
• contempt
• humiliation
• dishonor
• ignominy
• stigma
• infamy
• disrepute
• disdain
• discredit
• reproach
• odium
• opprobrium
• obloquy
• scandal
• disapproval
• disesteem
• taint
• scorn
• despite
• degradation
• stain
• disapprobation
• dust
• abasement
• debasement
• blot
• brand
• deprecation
• humbling
• disfavor
• slur
• debasing
• shadow
• spot
• smirch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• respect
• honor
• esteem
• fear
• regard
• appreciation
• admiration
• estimation
• glory
• reverence
• awe
• fame
• renown
• repute

shame

2 of 2

verb

as in to humiliate

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes

shamed the family name with his conviction for embezzlement

Synonyms & Similar Words

• humiliate
• discredit
• disgrace
• embarrass
• humble
• dishonor
• confuse
• degrade
• insult
• demean
• rattle
• cheapen
• debase
• take down
• criticize
• abase
• chasten
• lower
• diminish
• foul
• sink
• ridicule
• minimize
• smirch
• detract
• disparage
• mortify
• belittle
• faze
• disconcert
• discount
• condemn
• confound
• decry
• libel
• slander
• affront
• write off
• depreciate
• fluster
• defame
• discountenance
• malign
• castigate
• discomfit
• cry down
• damn
• abash
• defile
• put down
• censure
• denounce
• nonplus
• bad-mouth
• execrate
• reprehend
• reprobate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• honor
• applaud
• commend
• recognize
• celebrate
• congratulate
• praise
• acknowledge
• exalt
• boast
• elevate
• cheer
• compliment
• salute
• laud
• aggrandize
• cite
• extol
• highlight
• deify
• hail
• extoll
• acclaim
• canonize
• decorate
• eulogize
• tout
• spotlight
• dignify
• glorify
• promote
• fete
• magnify
• play up
• advance
• enshrine
• lift
• ennoble
• raise
• boost
• upgrade
• uplift
• fête
• enthrone
• idealize
• romanticize
• ensky

Examples of shame in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the show’s fourth season, Gretchen Rossi had a garage sale, Keough went shopping with her daughter at H&M (oh, the shame!), and Tamra Judge had to fire her maid. —Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024

That’s a shame, because the climate crisis is getting worse. —Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024

Verb

Audiences derided video vixens, shaming them for making money by playing to the male gaze. —Raquel Reichard, refinery29.com, 24 Sep. 2024

As mentioned by others in the comments, there’s no need to shame Ozempic users—that’s not the issue here. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2024