Humiliation
hjuːˌmɪlɪˈeɪʃən
Definitions
The feeling of shame and loss of self-respect; the act of causing someone to feel shame and loss of self-respect.
hjuːˌmɪlɪˈeɪʃən
A feeling of shame and embarrassment
She felt a deep sense of humiliation after losing the competition.
💡 Simply: It's like when you mess up in front of everyone and feel really embarrassed, like tripping in front of your crush. It makes you feel small and ashamed.
👶 For kids: Feeling super embarrassed and ashamed, like when you fall down in front of your friends.
More Examples
The public humiliation of the scandal caused him to resign.
He endured the humiliation of being fired.
How It's Used
"Experiencing humiliation can be a significant psychological stressor."
"The political defeat was seen as a public humiliation."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
eat humble pie
To admit you were wrong, or to apologize.
"After losing the argument, he had to eat humble pie and apologize for his mistake."
a fate worse than death
A situation that is so terrible that it's considered more unbearable than death.
"Being imprisoned and tortured was considered a fate worse than death."
From Latin *humiliatio*, derived from *humiliare* ('to humble'), ultimately from *humilis* ('lowly, humble').
The word's use reflects an understanding of shame and degradation in various historical contexts, from religious interpretations of humility to social and political events.
Memory tip
Imagine being publicly laughed at—that's humiliation.
Word Origin
"lowly, humble"