humiliation

The word “humiliation” means the act of making someone feel ashamed or beneath others. In plain terms, the shame or embarrassment of being put down or made to feel small.

“Humiliation” is pronounced hyoo-mih-lee-AY-shuhn (/hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “humiliation” used in a sentence: “The public humiliation of the losing team was hard to watch.”

Words with a similar meaning to “humiliation” include abasement, dishonor, embarrassment, mortification, shame and indignity.

The opposite of “humiliation” — its antonyms — are exaltation and honor.

“Humiliation” is a noun.

The word “humiliation” comes from Latin. From Middle French humiliation, tracing back to Latin humiliare, "to humiliate" — ultimately from humilis, "low" (the same root as humble).

“Humiliation” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

Humiliation involves making someone feel ashamed or beneath others, often through a deliberate or public act, while embarrassment is typically milder and can arise from harmless mistakes or awkward situations. Humiliation tends to carry a stronger sense of degradation and loss of dignity.

Yes, deliberately causing someone humiliation, meaning making them feel ashamed or beneath others in front of others, has historically been used as a form of punishment or social control. The lasting feeling of having been humiliated is itself described as the state of humiliation.

Humiliation refers to the act of making someone feel ashamed or beneath others, or the resulting feeling of being humiliated, while shame is a broader internal emotion that can arise without anyone else's involvement. Humiliation typically implies an external cause, such as another person's actions or words.