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shameful

shameful

89 4.7
Causing shame because it is morally wrong
  • adjective
  • /ˈʃeɪmfəl/
translation icon : vergonzoso
  • The politician's dishonesty was truly shameful, causing outrage among the voters.
  • consider shameful
  • most shameful
  • a shameful history

I rarely hear people say dirty, wrong, bad, shameful, nasty, gross.

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Examples

  • Will the Prime Minister scrap this shameful legislation?

  • Prime Minister, this is a shameful state of affairs.

  • What the United States government did was shameful and I am sorry.

  • It's shameful... to be this age and still not know yourself.

  • The most shameful thing of all was thinking you could be anything more than nothing.

  • But whatever I had seen or done, it had been a shameful act.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • We want something, but we either feel guilty, shameful, embarrassed, or uncomfortable to ask for it.

  • It was secret, it was shameful, it caused a lot of guilt.

  • We are forced to hide our supreme accomplishment as if it were a shameful crime.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

Synonyms

despicable
vsshameful
  • Offensive
95 5.7

Very bad in a way that makes people feel strong dislike and disgust

expresses wrongness that causes disgrace rather than only contempt
humiliating
vsshameful
  • Offensive
80 4.5

Making someone feel embarrassed or ashamed in front of other people

is about moral wrongdoing deserving shame, not only personal embarrassment
reprehensible
vsshameful
  • Formal
50 7.9

Morally wrong and deserving strong criticism

is about causing shame and disgrace rather than only criticism
disgraceful
vsshameful
46 3.0

Very bad or shocking behaviour that makes people lose respect

is about moral wrongness deserving disgrace rather than merely shock
scandalous
vsshameful
  • Literature
43 5.0

Causing shock or strong disapproval by offending people's ideas of right and wrong

is about moral wrongness causing shame even in private cases
repugnant
vsshameful
42 7.8

Very unpleasant and morally wrong to most people

expresses moral wrongness that causes shame rather than mere distaste
deplorable
vsshameful
38 6.8

Very bad and unacceptable, deserving strong criticism

focuses on moral wrongness that brings shame not only shock
dishonorable
vsshameful
  • US
23 6.0

Not honest or fair and causing shame

focuses on moral wrongness causing disgrace rather than just lost honor
abhorrent
vsshameful
23 7.7

Causing strong dislike or disgust because people see it as morally wrong

focuses on causing shame rather than primarily strong disgust
degrading
vsshameful
21 5.5

Causing someone to feel ashamed and less respected

focuses on moral offense deserving shame rather than only harming dignity
ignominious
vsshameful
  • Formal
7 9.0

Causing public shame and a loss of respect

focuses on moral wrongness even when not publicly exposed
inglorious
vsshameful
3 7.5

Causing shame and loss of respect

refers to moral wrongness or offense beyond failing to bring honor

Antonyms

253 3.7

A person who behaves in a morally good way and deserves respect

27 4.6

Worth praising because it is good or done well

How Shameful

despicable
  • Offensive
95 5.7
reprehensible
  • Formal
50 7.9
shameful
89 4.7
wrong
1.0
unseemly
33 7.8

Surface Forms

shameful positive
shamefuller comparative
shamefullest superlative

Morphology

shameful = shame (transparent) = shame + ful

Directly formed from 'shame' + the adjectival suffix '-ful', meaning 'full of shame'.

Etymology

The word shameful comes from the simple idea 'full of shame': shame means 'embarrassment' or 'disgrace', and the ending -ful means 'full of'. So, something shameful makes people feel embarrassed or shows behaviour that is wrong.