Meaning & use
disgraceful
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Deserving strong disapproval because it is shameful or morally unacceptable.
Grammar: Can be used before a noun or after a linking verb. Comparative: more disgraceful.
Patterns
- disgraceful behavior
- it is disgraceful that ...
- disgraceful to someone
The way they treated the elderly patients was disgraceful.
It's disgraceful that the money was never returned.
He called the referee's decision disgraceful.
Word forms
| comparative | more disgraceful |
|---|---|
| superlative | most disgraceful |
Common combinations
- disgraceful behavior
- The teacher said the cheating was disgraceful behavior.
- disgraceful conduct
- The committee condemned his disgraceful conduct.
- absolutely disgraceful
- The service at the hotel was absolutely disgraceful.
- it is disgraceful that
- It is disgraceful that so many people are still homeless.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shameful
- Very close in meaning; shameful often emphasizes the shame felt by the person, while disgraceful emphasizes public disapproval.
- scandalous
- Suggests public outrage and gossip; disgraceful is more about moral condemnation.
- appalling
- Can mean shocking or terrible in a general way; disgraceful specifically suggests moral wrongdoing.
Opposites
Word family
- disgrace noun
- Loss of respect or honor; a shameful situation.
- disgrace verb
- To bring shame or loss of respect on someone.
- disgracefully adverb
- In a shameful or unacceptable way.
Commonly confused: disgraceful or graceful?
disgraceful vs graceful
Graceful means moving or behaving in a smooth, attractive way; disgraceful means shameful and unacceptable.
Practice
The way the company treated its workers was absolutely ______.
Choose one answer.
'Disgraceful' describes the shameful treatment. 'Graceful' means elegant, 'disgraced' describes a person who has lost respect, and 'disgracing' is a verb form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “disgraceful”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.