Word
abashed
US/əˈbæʃt/
UK/ɐbˈæʃt/
Españolavergonzado
Definition
adj. feeling ashamed or embarrassed, often because someone has pointed out your mistake.
adj. feeling embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed. Often used as a predicative adjective following a linking verb.
Examples
“He looked abashed when he realized he was in the wrong room.”
“She stood abashed in the doorway after her colleagues suddenly stopped talking as she entered.”
“The politician appeared momentarily abashed when the interviewer confronted him with his own contradictory statements from the previous year.”
Examples
simple
“He looked abashed when he realized he was in the wrong room.”
contextual
“She stood abashed in the doorway after her colleagues suddenly stopped talking as she entered.”
complex
“The politician appeared momentarily abashed when the interviewer confronted him with his own contradictory statements from the previous year.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “abashed” in context.
Verb
01. look abashed
“He looked abashed when the teacher pointed out the obvious mistake in his calculations.”
verb + adj
02. remain abashed
“Despite his usual confidence, he remained abashed for the rest of the evening after the blunder.”
verb + adj
03. stand abashed
“The young clerk stood abashed before his manager as the errors were revealed.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. abashed at his behavior
“He felt abashed at his behavior during the meeting and sent an apology the next day.”
adj + prep + noun
05. abashed by the criticism
“The author was abashed by the criticism leveled at his latest novel.”
adj + prep + noun
Adverb
06. somewhat abashed
“He felt somewhat abashed at having to ask for help with such a simple task.”
adv + adj
07. suitably abashed
“He had the grace to look suitably abashed when he realized he had forgotten her birthday.”
adv + adj
08. visibly abashed
“She was visibly abashed by the sudden outburst of laughter from the audience.”
adv + adj
Usage
Often follows linking verbs like 'look', 'feel', or 'seem'.
Teaching tip
This word is much more common in literature than in daily conversation; in modern speech, people usually prefer 'embarrassed' or 'ashamed'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Rare
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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- Literary
QR code
englishreference.com/q/abashed
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0