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verb B2 Upper-Intermediate

humiliate

hyoo-MIH-lee-ayt

Humiliate (verb) means to make someone feel ashamed or foolish, often publicly. Example: “He humiliated his opponent with an easy victory.”

verb
1
To make someone feel ashamed or foolish, often publicly.
"He humiliated his opponent with an easy victory."
"She felt humiliated when her mistake was pointed out in front of the class."

How to use humiliate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo make someone feel deeply embarrassed or ashamed, usually in front of others.

Common pairings
humiliate someone publicly feel humiliated

Word forms

humiliated past tense, humiliates singular

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He _____ his opponent with an easy victory.

Etymology

From Latin humiliāre ("to abase, make humble"), from humilis ("low, humble") — the same root as humble.

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for humiliate

See all rhymes for humiliate →

Frequently asked questions

What does “humiliate” mean?

The word “humiliate” means to make someone feel ashamed or foolish, often publicly. In plain terms, to make someone feel deeply embarrassed or ashamed, usually in front of others.

How do you pronounce “humiliate”?

“Humiliate” is pronounced hyoo-MIH-lee-ayt (/hjuːˈmɪliˌeɪt/ in IPA).

How do you use “humiliate” in a sentence?

Here is “humiliate” used in a sentence: “He humiliated his opponent with an easy victory.”

What part of speech is “humiliate”?

“Humiliate” is a verb.

Where does the word “humiliate” come from?

The word “humiliate” comes from Latin. From Latin humiliāre ("to abase, make humble"), from humilis ("low, humble") — the same root as humble.

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