ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shamed

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈʃeɪmd// UK //ʃˈeɪmd// shamed

adj. feeling very embarrassed or guilty because of something you did or because of how others see you. It describes the heavy feeling of losing respect from people around you.

adj. experiencing a loss of dignity or self-respect due to public exposure of perceived wrongdoing or inadequacy. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'feel' or 'look'.


SIMPLE

He felt shamed by his poor behavior at the party.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician stood before the cameras, looking visibly shamed as he apologized for the scandal that ended his career.

COMPLEX

In many traditional societies, the fear of being shamed in front of the community acts as a more powerful deterrent against crime than the threat of formal legal punishment.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Typically follows a linking verb or acts as a participial adjective; often takes the preposition 'by'.

Pitfall

He was shamed of his actionsHe was ashamed of his actionsLearners confuse the participial adjective 'shamed' (caused by external judgment) with 'ashamed' (an internal feeling of guilt), which takes the preposition 'of'.

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