Meaning & use

shame

noun·Everyday

A painful feeling caused by awareness of wrongdoing, foolishness, or failure.

See it in a sentence

He felt a deep sense of shame after forgetting his daughter's recital.

There is no shame in asking for help when a task feels overwhelming.

A note on using this word

Shame often involves how one is perceived by others, unlike guilt, which centers on one's own wrongdoing.

Words with a similar meaning

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

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “shame”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.