# indignity

/ˌɪnˈdɪɡnəˌti/ (US) · /ɪndˈɪɡnɪti/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/indignity
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

something that makes you feel embarrassed, small, or not respected, like being shouted at in front of other people.

For teachers: treatment, remarks, or conditions that humiliate or degrade, depriving someone of dignity or self-respect.

## Examples

- Being shouted at feels like an indignity.
- The elderly patient suffered the indignity of waiting hours in a crowded corridor for help.
- After decades of public service, he found the indignity of the security search more wounding than any political defeat he had endured.

## Synonyms

humiliation, insult, embarrassment

## Antonyms

dignity

## Usage notes

- Often used in the plural for repeated humiliations; commonly followed by 'of' to name the humiliating situation.

---

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.