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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ignoble differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ignoble are abject, mean, and sordid. While all these words mean "being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity," ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit.

an ignoble scramble after material possessions

When would abject be a good substitute for ignoble?

In some situations, the words abject and ignoble are roughly equivalent. However, abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility.

abject poverty

When could mean be used to replace ignoble?

The words mean and ignoble are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity.

mean and petty satire

When can sordid be used instead of ignoble?

The meanings of sordid and ignoble largely overlap; however, sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness.

a sordid story of murder and revenge

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 ignoble But on this southern front of the Trump empire, Palm Beach County, Donald Trump is flirting with ignoble defeat. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025 This is something of an ignoble cap to one of the worst years of Rodgers' illustrious career. David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024 Larraín’s third subject, Maria Callas, despite being born to an ignoble family and having to face wartime poverty during the 1940s, was no stranger to the trappings of an empyrean existence, but in constantly having to live up to it, like Diana, her life met an untimely end. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Dec. 2024 Australia’s laissez-faire automobile attitude puts it in ignoble company. Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ignoble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignoble
Adjective
  • The survey's measure of consumer sentiment dropped to a level lower than at any point during the Great Recession.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Trust Is Built In Small Moments Like This For a co-op like Cabot Creamery, maintaining consumer trust means being transparent—even when the stakes are low.
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Snow White gets a much more meaningful backstory The original Disney film begins with a few short sentences about how Snow White was forced to work as a scullery maid for her vile stepmother, the Queen.
    Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Newsweek's efforts to politicize the death of these individuals, including the reporter's request to confirm names and locations of death, are vile.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Below that sits the pedestrian CLK 500 and plebeian CLK 350.
    Jeremy Korzeniewski, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Across the lake, on the plebeian side, up the shoreline a mile or so, in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, stand twin 32-story towers dubbed Trump Plaza of the Palm Beaches.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Listen to this article Surrounded by coal miners, President Donald Trump signed an executive order vowing to roll back his predecessor’s policies limiting lung-damaging, climate-changing pollution from power plants that burn the planet’s dirtiest source of energy.
    Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
  • The floors are getting dirty and workers have no access to vacuums or mops.
    Lisa Song, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Like a cat with nine lives, the building has undergone multiple renovations since its humble start as a savonnerie, or soap factory, in 1630.
    Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025
  • What began as a humble mom-and-pop grocer and butcher shop a century ago is now a well-greased sausage factory, selling its products to big-name distributors such as Shamrock Foods, US Foods and Sysco, which get them to major sporting venues such as Ball Arena and Coors Field.
    Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Switching out a pump in a pit filled with raw sewage is nasty work.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025
  • The bear is back and things may stay nasty for the rest of 2025.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Europeans were enchanted by the expressive fluency that the New York critics had considered vulgar.
    David Denby, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The chief spoke at the LAPD’s Police Commission weekly meeting Tuesday, a day after news broke that officers from the department’s recruitment and employment division had been unknowingly recorded making vulgar comments, including while talking about police applicants.
    Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Regardless of what transpired between the two cast members, on or off screen, Aspen was unfairly portrayed as an immoral character.
    Taylor Crumpton, Essence, 11 Apr. 2025
  • We are limited to enforcing the law, not policing immoral behavior.
    David Chiu, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ignoble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignoble. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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