undignified

11 4.7

Appearing or behaving in a way that makes people lose respect

adjective
/ˌʌnˈdɪɡnɪˌfaɪd/

: indigno

Apologies for the undignified welcome, Mr. Van Diemen.
an undignified manner

Is it just blows my mind the undignified nature.

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Examples

His undignified behavior during the ceremony shocked the guests and embarrassed his family.
It's undignified for a king to jest.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
This was weird and undignified and it had to stop.
So if it's not too undignified to ask, why not?

Hombre (1967)
As one man put it this afternoon, "Perhaps we are being undignified, but this is a special day."

Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Yes, but in a way it is undignified for a foreigner to teach Spanish.

For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
To Reith he said, "Please do not make an undignified display."

Fiction book (1993)
I don't like it, it's undignified.

Skull Heads (2009)
There is nothing more undignified than entering a house with six or seven dachshunds.

Fiction book (1997)
It's ridiculous and undignified, and I won't hear any more about it.

Fiction book (1993)

Synonyms

disgraceful

vsundignified

46 3.0

Very bad or shocking behaviour that makes people lose respect

is milder, meaning lacking dignity without necessarily shocking people

demeaning

vsundignified

33 4.8

Making someone feel small and unimportant

is about appearing without dignity rather than actively lowering someone else

dishonorable

vsundignified

23 6.0

Not honest or fair and causing shame

focuses on social respect loss rather than moral failing specifically

degrading

vsundignified

21 5.5

Causing someone to feel ashamed and less respected

focuses on appearance or behaviour that makes one seem without dignity

unworthy

vsundignified

Offensive

20 5.4

Deserves strong blame or dislike

relates to loss of respect but is stronger, implying moral blame

unbecoming

vsundignified

Formal

15 6.7

Not suitable for a situation or for what people expect

centres on loss of respect or esteem rather than mere impropriety

mortifying

vsundignified

7 7.0

Making someone feel very embarrassed or ashamed

is about lacking dignity generally rather than sudden intense embarrassment

disgraced

vsundignified

6 4.6

A person who has lost respect after doing something shameful

refers to behaving without dignity, not only the later public fall from grace

dishonored

vsundignified

1 4.9

A person who has lost respect because of shameful behavior

describes appearing lacking dignity before being actually shamed

indecorous

vsundignified

Formal

1 9.2

Not showing good manners in public or formal places

relates more to loss of respect or dignity rather than mere bad manners

degradative

vsundignified

7.7

Making someone feel ashamed or less respected

describes being lacking in dignity rather than the act of humiliating others

honorless

vsundignified

7.0

An action that is not honest or fair and not respected by others

is about appearing without dignity rather than a full moral judgement

unrespectable

vsundignified

Offensive

7.2

Most people see it as bad or shameful

describes behaviour that makes one seem lacking dignity rather than general worthlessness

Antonyms

dignified

71 4.6

Calm and serious in a way that shows self respect and gets respect from others

How Dignified

noble

274 3.6

dignified

71 4.6

respectable

114 3.0

undignified

11 4.7

disgraceful

46 3.0

Surface Forms

undignified positive

Morphology

undignified = dignified (transparent) = un + dignify + ed

The adjective is a straightforward negation formed by adding un- to 'dignified', producing 'not dignified'.

Etymology

Undignified begins with un- meaning 'not' and the rest comes from dignity, which means 'being worthy or respected'. So, undignified describes behaviour that is 'not worthy' and makes someone lose respect.