# humiliating

/hjuˈmɪɫiˌeɪtɪŋ/ (US) · /hjuːmˈɪlɪˌeɪtɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/humiliating
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. causing shame

adjective · CEFR B2

making you feel very ashamed, embarrassed, or foolish, especially in public.

For teachers: causing a painful loss of pride, self-respect, or dignity. Usually describes an event, experience, or defeat.

- It was humiliating to realize I had been wearing my shirt inside out all day.
- The team suffered a humiliating defeat in the finals, losing by a margin that no one had anticipated.

Usage: Commonly modifies nouns like 'defeat', 'experience', 'failure', or 'silence'.

Teaching tip: Learners often confuse the -ing and -ed forms; remind them that a 'humiliating' event makes a person feel 'humiliated'.

### 2. the act of shaming

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of making someone feel ashamed or less important.

For teachers: the action of shaming or degrading someone; the gerundial use of the verb 'humiliate'.

- The public humiliating of the prisoner was criticized by human rights groups.
- The systematic humiliating of political rivals became a hallmark of the regime's propaganda strategy.

Usage: Often functions as a verbal noun followed by 'of'.

Teaching tip: In most contexts, the noun 'humiliation' is preferred over the gerund 'humiliating'.

## Examples

- It was humiliating to lose the game by such a large score.
- The politician suffered a humiliating defeat after the scandal was leaked to the press just days before the election.
- Forcing the scientist to retract his findings in front of his peers was a humiliating experience that effectively ended his career in the department.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.