disgrace 1 of 2

1
2
as in scandal
a cause of shame the exposure of his criminal record was a huge disgrace for the councilman

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in pity
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a disgrace to let all the leftover food from the banquet go to waste, so let's deliver it to the homeless shelter

Synonyms & Similar Words

disgrace

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun disgrace differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of disgrace are dishonor, disrepute, ignominy, and infamy. While all these words 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

When could dishonor be used to replace disgrace?

While in some cases nearly identical to disgrace, dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem.

preferred death to life with dishonor

In what contexts can disrepute take the place of disgrace?

In some situations, the words disrepute and disgrace are roughly equivalent. However, disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation.

a once proud name fallen into disrepute

Where would ignominy be a reasonable alternative to disgrace?

The synonyms ignominy and disgrace are sometimes interchangeable, but ignominy stresses humiliation.

the ignominy of being arrested

When is infamy a more appropriate choice than disgrace?

The words infamy and disgrace can be used in similar contexts, but infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame.

a day that lives in infamy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disgrace
Noun
America’s air-traffic control system is an international disgrace. Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025 He’s fired in disgrace from his cushy job, all while grappling with his recent divorce. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
Will formerly disgraced Russian performers return to American halls? Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 Loading your audio article With the San Jose District 3 special election less than two months away, candidates in the crowded field to replace disgraced former Councilmember Omar Torres have begun to roll out their policy platforms in hopes of winning the support of voters. Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disgrace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disgrace
Noun
  • People give me hate and shame about that all the time.
    Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
  • But that’s an allegory for his trauma, PTSD, guilt and shame.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Using the couple's wedding to distract from a political scandal, Barbara's parents decide to visit Val's dads, who must pretend to be straight, resulting in Albert masquerading as a middle-aged woman.
    Stacy Lambe, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Burke’s career was plagued by scandal, including a dozen internal complaints on his official file.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The film doesn’t ask for sympathy for this family or present them as objects of pity.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 29 Mar. 2025
  • But Luca’s whole vibe doesn’t exactly invite empathy, and Fisk takes no pity on the guy.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • There was a period when Broadway creators thought the only way to get a performance was to humiliate a person.
    Mark Seliger, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
  • An investigation of at least eight fraternities found that members humiliated students through means like beating them with paddles or forcing potential recruits to eat live fish and drink urine, according to court filings.
    Dan Belson, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • His tariffs were not based on the import taxes charged by other countries but by the size of each trade deficit, a calculation that instantly discredited the policy with many economists and investors.
    Time, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Bolsonaro’s efforts to discredit the election had already found allies abroad.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Mariah Carey just pulled a classic mom move by embarrassing her teenage son in front of his friends.
    Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The leaking was intended to embarrass Bork, whose nomination was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Senate albeit for reasons unrelated to his rental list.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disgrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disgrace. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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