Meaning & use

mortifying

adjective·Advanced

Causing someone to feel deeply embarrassed or humiliated.

See it in a sentence

It was mortifying to trip on stage in front of the entire school.

She found it mortifying when her phone rang loudly during the funeral.

A note on using this word

Adjective form of the verb "mortify"; stronger than "embarrassing," implying an especially painful loss of dignity.

Words with a similar meaning

humiliatingembarrassing

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To cause someone to feel deeply embarrassed or ashamed.

His blunt comment mortified her in front of the whole office.

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