What does "shame" mean?
An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should have been kept private.
Shame
/ʃeɪm/ adj, intj, noun, verb
adj, intj, noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should have been kept private.
- Grammar: shame is listed as adj, intj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: disgrace, embarrassment, ignominy, abasement.
- Useful contrasts: acceptance, apathy, assuaging.
- Usage evidence: Your singing puts professional singers to shame.
How to use "shame"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "shame" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "shame" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "shame" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "shame" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "shame" is acting as adj, intj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "disgrace" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "shame", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should have been kept private. uncountable, usually
"When I realized that I had hurt my friend, I felt deep shame."
- 2 an unfortunate development wordnet
- 3 Something to regret. uncountable, usually
"It was a shame not to see the show after driving all that way."
- 4 a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt wordnet
- 5 Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonour; ignominy; derision. uncountable, usually
"[…] because ye haue borne the shame of the heathen,"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a state of dishonor wordnet
- 7 The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach and ignominy. uncountable, usually
"guides who are the shame of religion"
- 8 That which is shameful and private, especially private parts. uncountable, usually
"And he took fig-leaves and sewed (them) together, and made an apron for himself, and covered his shame."
- 9 The capacity to be ashamed, inhibiting one from brazen behaviour; due regard for one's own moral conduct and how one is perceived by others; restraint, moderation, decency. uncountable, usually
"Don't you have any shame?"
Verb
- 1 To cause to feel shame. transitive
"I was shamed by the teacher's public disapproval."
- 2 surpass or beat by a wide margin wordnet
- 3 To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace. transitive
"And with fowle cowardize his carcas ſhame,"
- 4 cause to be ashamed wordnet
- 5 To denounce as having done something shameful; to criticize with the intent or effect of causing a feeling of shame. transitive
"Stop shaming others about their food choices."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 compel through a sense of shame wordnet
- 7 To drive or compel by shame. transitive
"The politician was shamed into resigning."
- 8 bring shame or dishonor upon wordnet
- 9 To feel shame, be ashamed. intransitive, obsolete
"Broder she said I can not telle yow For it was not done by me nor by myn assente For he is my lord and I am his and he must be myn husband therfore my broder I wille that ye wete I shame me not to be with hym nor to doo hym alle the pleasyr that I can"
- 10 To mock at; to deride. obsolete, transitive
"Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge."
Adjective
- 1 Feeling shame; ashamed.
"She says that she doesn't touch them, this is important, sometimes maybe a handshake may make them more shame, that is shy or embarrassed."
Intj
- 1 A cry of admonition for the subject of a speech, either to denounce the speaker or to agree with the speaker's denunciation of some person or matter; often used reduplicated, especially in political debates.
"Mr John Golding: One would not realise that it came from the same Government, because in that letter the Under-Secretary states: "The future of BT's pension scheme is a commercial matter between BT, its workforce, and the trustees of the pensions scheme, and the Government cannot give any guarantees about future pension arrangements." #*: Mr. Charles R. Morris: Shame."
- 2 Ellipsis of what a shame; expressing disappointment or sympathy abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
"Shame, you poor thing, you must be cold!"
Antonyms
Example
"Your singing puts professional singers to shame."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "shame"?
Common synonyms include: disgrace, embarrassment, ignominy, abasement, abasement, abash.
How do you use "shame" in a sentence?
Your singing puts professional singers to shame.
How do you pronounce "shame"?
Pronounced /ʃeɪm/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English schame, from Old English sċamu, from Proto-Germanic *skamō. Cognates *German Scham (“shame”) *German Low German Schaam (“shame, shamefacedness”) *Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish skam (“shame”) *Faroese skomm (“shame, dishonour”) *Icelandic skömm (“shame”) *Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌼𐌰 (skama, “shame”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English schamen, from Old English sċamian, from Proto-West Germanic *skamēn, from Proto-Germanic *skamāną. Cognates *Dutch schamen (“to be ashamed”) *German schämen (“to be ashamed or embarrassed, bashful”) *Danish, Norwegian Bokmål skamme (“to be ashamed”) *Icelandic skamma (“to scold”) *Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌽 (skaman, “to be ashamed”).