ashamed
uh-SHAYMD
Ashamed (adj) means feeling shame, embarrassment, or guilt over something one has done or been associated with. Example: “I was ashamed to admit that I had forgotten her birthday.”
adj
1
Feeling shame, embarrassment, or guilt over something one has done or been associated with.
"I was ashamed to admit that I had forgotten her birthday."
"He felt ashamed of how he had spoken to his sister."
"There's nothing to be ashamed of — everyone makes mistakes."
How to use ashamed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFeeling bad about yourself because of something you did, or something connected to you.
Common pairings
ashamed of
feel ashamed
deeply ashamed
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more ashamed
- Superlative
- most ashamed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I was _____ to admit that I had forgotten her birthday.
Etymology
From Old English āscamian ("to feel shame"), built from a- (an intensifying prefix) plus "shame."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
unashamed
proud
Related words
Rhymes for ashamed
See all rhymes for ashamed →Frequently asked questions
What does “ashamed” mean?
The word “ashamed” means feeling shame, embarrassment, or guilt over something one has done or been associated with. In plain terms, feeling bad about yourself because of something you did, or something connected to you.
How do you pronounce “ashamed”?
“Ashamed” is pronounced uh-SHAYMD (/əˈʃeɪmd/ in IPA).
How do you use “ashamed” in a sentence?
Here is “ashamed” used in a sentence: “He felt ashamed of how he had spoken to his sister.”
What is the opposite of “ashamed”?
The opposite of “ashamed” — its antonyms — is proud.
What part of speech is “ashamed”?
“Ashamed” is an adjective.
Where does the word “ashamed” come from?
The word “ashamed” comes from Old English. From Old English āscamian ("to feel shame"), built from a- (an intensifying prefix) plus "shame.".
Is “ashamed” a common word?
“Ashamed” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between ashamed and embarrassed?
Embarrassed usually describes social discomfort, often minor and public, such as tripping in front of others. Ashamed is deeper: it involves shame or guilt over something you have done or been associated with, and it implies a moral judgment about yourself rather than mere awkwardness.
Is it ashamed of or ashamed about?
The standard preposition is of: you are ashamed of yourself or ashamed of a mistake. Ashamed about is heard informally, but of is the safer choice in writing, and before a verb the pattern is ashamed to, as in too ashamed to ask.
What is the difference between feeling ashamed and feeling guilty?
Feeling guilty centres on a specific act: you believe you did something wrong. Feeling ashamed centres on how the act reflects on you as a person, and it can also arise from things you are merely associated with rather than things you did.
Can ashamed be used before a noun?
Rarely. Ashamed is almost always used after a linking verb, as in she felt ashamed, and phrases like an ashamed look sound unnatural to most speakers. In this it behaves like afraid, asleep, and alike, which are also mainly predicative adjectives.
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