humiliation

/hjumɪliˈeɪʃən/

/hjumɪlɪˈeɪʃən/

Other forms: humiliations

Humiliation describes a strong feeling of embarrassment or mortification — like that time in sixth grade when your mother wiped your face and called you "honey bunny" in front of all your friends.

Humiliation comes from the Latin word humiliare, which means "to humble." So if you are caught in a situation that causes humiliation, you are humbled — with a loss of self-esteem and self-respect. If you become a politician, for example, and you campaign on a platform of family values, don't get caught cheating on your spouse; the public humiliation may be enough to drive you out of politics.

Definitions of humiliation

1. noun

   depriving one of self-esteem
   synonyms: abasement

   types:

   comedown

   decline to a lower status or level

   type of:

   debasement, degradation

   a change to a lower state (a less respected state)
2. noun

   state of disgrace or loss of self-respect
   types:

   abasement, abjection, degradation

   a low or downcast state

   decadence, decadency, degeneracy, degeneration

   the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities

   depth

   (usually plural) a low moral state

   type of:

   disgrace, ignominy, shame

   a state of dishonor
3. noun

   strong feelings of embarrassment
   synonyms: chagrin, mortification

   type of:

   embarrassment

   the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public
4. noun

   an instance in which you are caused to lose your prestige or self-respect
   “he had to undergo one humiliation after another”

   synonyms: mortification

   type of:

   case, example, instance

   an occurrence of something