Word
abashedness
Phoneticsabashed·ness
Uncountable noun
Definition
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.
Examples
“He looked away in abashedness after his mistake.”
“Despite her usual confidence, a visible abashedness came over her when she realized she had forgotten the guest of honor's name.”
“The poet captures that specific abashedness one feels when a private vulnerability is suddenly exposed to the cold light of public scrutiny.”
Examples
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.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “abashedness” in context.
Verb
01. betray a hint of abashedness
“His voice did not betray a hint of abashedness, even though he had been caught in a lie.”
verb + noun + of + noun
02. mask his abashedness
“He tried to mask his abashedness with a forced laugh, but his blushing cheeks gave him away.”
verb + possessive + noun
03. overcome one's abashedness
“She had to overcome her abashedness to deliver the keynote speech after her earlier blunder.”
verb + possessive + noun
Adjective
04. slight abashedness
“A slight abashedness colored her tone when she admitted she had forgotten his name.”
adj + noun
05. visible abashedness
“There was a visible abashedness in his posture as he apologized for the misunderstanding.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. sense of abashedness
“A profound sense of abashedness washed over him when he realized he was at the wrong party.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. with abashedness
“He looked at the floor with abashedness after realizing he was wearing mismatched shoes.”
prep + noun
Usage
The noun is derived from the adjective 'abashed'; it is relatively rare in modern English, with 'embarrassment' or 'shame' being more common substitutes.
Etymology
From abashed + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
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.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL 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: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Rare
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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