Meaning & use
without shame
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrasedisapproving
doing something bad or shocking without feeling embarrassed or guilty
Grammar: Used after verbs like lie, cheat, or steal: He lied without shame.
Patterns
- lie without shame
- cheat without shame
- steal without shame
He lied to his own family without shame.
She cheated on the test without shame.
phrasefixed phrase
in an open and unashamed way, sometimes used approvingly for being honest about something
Grammar: Used after verbs like speak or admit: She spoke about her past without shame.
Patterns
- speak without shame
- admit something without shame
- live without shame
She spoke about her mistakes without shame, which impressed everyone.
He lives without shame, proud of who he is.
Common combinations
- lie without shame
- He would lie without shame to get what he wanted.
- cheat without shame
- Some players cheat without shame and never admit it.
- speak without shame
- She can speak without shame about her difficult childhood.
- without shame or regret
- He admitted his crime without shame or regret.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shamelessly
- This adverb is more common and direct: He shamelessly lied. 'Without shame' is a phrase that can sound more formal or literary.
- unashamedly
- This adverb often has a neutral or positive tone, meaning without embarrassment; 'without shame' is more often disapproving.
Opposites
Commonly confused: without shame or without a shame?
without shame vs without a shame
This is not a standard phrase. 'Shame' is uncountable in this expression, so you say 'without shame', not 'without a shame'.
Practice
Choose the best completion: 'He took the money and smiled ______.'
Choose one answer.
'Without shame' is the correct fixed phrase meaning without feeling guilty or embarrassed. 'Without a shame' is wrong because 'shame' is uncountable here. 'Without shaming' would mean without causing shame to others, which does not fit. 'Without ashamed' is grammatically incorrect because 'ashamed' is an adjective, not a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “without shame”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.