Word
abashing
Phoneticsabash·ing
Definition
adj. making you feel ashamed or very embarrassed.
adj. tending to cause a loss of self-possession or a feeling of shame.
Examples
“She gave him an abashing look that made him stop talking.”
“The silence following his poorly timed joke was abashing, leaving him unsure of how to continue.”
“There was something deeply abashing about the professor's calm correction of her error in front of the entire lecture hall, despite his polite tone.”
Examples
simple
“She gave him an abashing look that made him stop talking.”
contextual
“The silence following his poorly timed joke was abashing, leaving him unsure of how to continue.”
complex
“There was something deeply abashing about the professor's calm correction of her error in front of the entire lecture hall, despite his polite tone.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “abashing” in context.
Verb
01. find the silence abashing
“She found the sudden silence abashing after her controversial remark.”
verb + noun + adj
02. prove abashing for the family
“The revelation of the scandal proved abashing for the family's reputation.”
verb + adj + prep + noun
Adjective
03. abashing to behold
“The sheer scale of his public failure was abashing to behold for everyone in the room.”
adj + infinitive
04. truly abashing experience
“Forgetting the CEO's name during the introduction was a truly abashing experience for the young intern.”
adv + adj + noun
Noun
05. abashing display of ignorance
“The politician's abashing display of ignorance regarding basic economics shocked the voters.”
adj + noun + of + noun
06. abashing sense of inadequacy
“Standing among the Nobel laureates, he felt an abashing sense of inadequacy.”
adj + noun + of + noun
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun to describe an external cause of embarrassment.
Teaching tip
This word is quite rare in modern conversation; learners will mostly encounter it in older literature or very formal writing.
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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