ENGLISH
REFERENCE

abashedness

n. uncountable
C2 Proficiency abashed·ness Archaic

n. a feeling of being embarrassed or ashamed. You might feel this way if you make a mistake in front of other people.

n. a state of being embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed. Often implies a sudden loss of self-possession due to a sense of inferiority or error.


SIMPLE

He looked away in abashedness after his mistake.

CONTEXTUAL

Despite her usual confidence, a visible abashedness came over her when she realized she had forgotten the guest of honor's name.

COMPLEX

The poet captures that specific abashedness one feels when a private vulnerability is suddenly exposed to the cold light of public scrutiny.

Origin

From abashed + -ness.

Usage

The noun is derived from the adjective 'abashed'; it is relatively rare in modern English, with 'embarrassment' or 'shame' being more common substitutes.

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