English Reference
Word adjective

abashed

adj.
US /əˈbæʃt/ UK /ɐbˈæʃt/ abashed
Definition
  1. 01 C1 Advanced Literary

    feeling ashamed or embarrassed, often because someone has pointed out your mistake.

    feeling embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed. Often used as a predicative adjective following a linking verb.

    Simple

    “He stood there looking abashed after his boss found the mistake in his report.”

    In context

    “The politician looked momentarily abashed when the interviewer confronted him with his own contradictory statements from the previous year.”

    Teacher's tip

    This word is much more common in literature than in daily conversation; in modern speech, people usually prefer 'embarrassed' or 'ashamed'.

    Synonyms
    ashamedembarrassedmortifieddisconcerted
    Antonyms
    unabashedconfidentbold
Usage

Often follows linking verbs like 'look', 'feel', or 'seem'.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Rare
Updated