adj · intj · noun · verb · 23 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈʃeɪ̯m/
[ˈʃeɪ̯m]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian, New-Zealand:/ˈʃæɪ̯m/
Australian, New-Zealand:[ˈʃæ̝ɪ̯m]
rhymes with -eɪm
CMU ARPABET:SH EY1 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Embarrassed and shy, particularly because one is the subject of attention.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australian
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Causing embarrassment or shyness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australian
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
intj
Meaning 3
A cry of admonition for the subject of a speech, either to denounce the speaker or to agree with the speaker's denunciation of some person or matter; often used reduplicated, especially in political debates.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
intj
Meaning 4
Ellipsis of what a shame; expressing disappointment or sympathy
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Examples
Shame, you poor thing, you must be cold!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: what a pity, bad luck, cuhdear, hard lines, hard luck, pity, shame, too bad, tough luck, what a shame, worse luck
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should have been kept private.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
When I realized that I had hurt my friend, I felt deep shame.
The teenager couldn’t bear the shame of introducing his parents.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
Something to regret.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
It was a shame not to see the show after driving all that way.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonour; ignominy; derision.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach and ignominy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
That which is shameful and private, especially private parts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
The capacity to be ashamed, inhibiting one from brazen behaviour; due regard for one's own moral conduct and how one is perceived by others; restraint, moderation, decency.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
Don't you have any shame?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To cause to feel shame.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
I was shamed by the teacher's public disapproval.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: abash
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
verb
Meaning 13
To denounce as having done something shameful; to criticize with the intent or effect of causing a feeling of shame.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
Stop shaming others about their food choices.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
verb
Meaning 14
To drive or compel by shame.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The politician was shamed into resigning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
verb
Meaning 15
To feel shame, be ashamed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
16
verb
Meaning 16
To mock at; to deride.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
17
noun
Meaning 17
an unfortunate development
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
it's a pity he couldn't do it
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pity
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: misfortune, bad luck
18
noun
Meaning 18
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
he dishonored his family by committing a serious crime
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dishonor, disgrace, dishonour, attaint
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: foul, befoul, defile, maculate
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *skamō Proto-West Germanic *skamu Old English sċamu Middle English schame English shame From Middle English schame, from Old English sċamu, from Proto-West Germanic *skamu, from Proto-Germanic *skamō. Cognates *German Scham (“shame”) *German Low German Schaam (“shame, shamefacedness”) *Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish skam (“shame”) *Faroese skomm (“shame, dishonour”) *Icelandic skömm (“shame”) *Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌼𐌰 (skama, “shame”).
From Middle English schamen, from Old English sċamian, from Proto-West Germanic *skamēn, from Proto-Germanic *skamāną. Cognates *Dutch schamen (“to be ashamed”) *German schämen (“to be ashamed or embarrassed, bashful”) *Danish, Norwegian Bokmål skamme (“to be ashamed”) *Icelandic skamma (“to scold”) *Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌽 (skaman, “to be ashamed”).
Across languages
Translations
336 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Aklanon:
huya'
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Albanian:
turp
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Gheg Albanian:
marre
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Arabic:
خَجَل
(ḵajal)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Arabic:
عَيْب
(ʕayb)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Aragonese:
vergüenya
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Armenian:
ամոթ
(amotʻ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Armenian:
խայտառակություն
(xaytaṙakutʻyun)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Aromanian:
arushini
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Assamese:
লাজ
(laz)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Asturian:
vergoña
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Asturian:
vergüeña
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Asturian:
vergüenza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Asturian:
virgüenza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Asturian:
vergonza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Azerbaijani:
abır
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Azerbaijani:
ayıb
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Azerbaijani:
utanc
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Bangi:
nconi
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Bashkir:
оят
(oyat)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Basque:
lotsa
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Belarusian:
со́рам
(sóram)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Belarusian:
стыд
(styd)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Bengali:
লজ্জা
(lojja)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Bengali:
শরম
(śorom)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Central Bikol:
supog
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Breton:
mezh
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Bulgarian:
срам
(sram)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Bulgarian:
свян
(svjan)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Catalan:
vergonya
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Cebuano:
kaulaw
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Chechen:
эхь
(eḥr)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Chinese Mandarin:
羞辱
(xiūrǔ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Chinese Mandarin:
羞恥 /羞耻
(xiūchǐ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Chinese Mandarin:
恥辱 /耻辱
(chǐrǔ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Corsican:
vargogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Crimean Tatar:
ayıp
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Czech:
stud
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Czech:
hanba
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Danish:
skam
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Emilian:
vargåggna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Esperanto:
honto
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Estonian:
häbi
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Fala:
vergonza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Finnish:
häpeä
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
French:
honte
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Friulian:
vergonze
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Friulian:
vergonge
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Galician:
vergoña
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Galician:
vergonza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Georgian:
სირცხვილი
(sircxvili)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
German:
Scham
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
German:
Schande
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Gothic:
𐌹𐌳𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍄
(idweit)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Gothic:
𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌺𐌹
(aiwiski)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Greek:
ντροπή
(ntropí)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ancient Greek:
αἰσχύνη
(aiskhúnē)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Hebrew:
בּוּשָׁה
(bushá)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Hindi:
शर्म
(śarm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Hindi:
लज्जा
(lajjā)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Hungarian:
szégyen
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Icelandic:
háðung
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Icelandic:
skömm
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ido:
shamo
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ilocano:
bain
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Indonesian:
malu
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ingrian:
häppiä
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ingrian:
häpy
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ingush:
эхь
(eḥr)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Irish:
náire
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Istriot:
varguogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Italian:
vergogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Japanese:
恥
(haji)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Japanese:
羞恥心
(shūchishin)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Japanese:
面汚し
(tsurayogoshi)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Javanese:
isin
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Old Javanese:
isin
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Kazakh:
ұят
(ūät)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Khmer:
ខ្មាស
(khmaah)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Khmer:
អាស្រូវ
(ʼaasrəw)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Khmer:
ហិរិ
(heriʼ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Khmer:
លជ្ជាភាព
(lacciəphiəp)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Korean:
수치
(suchi)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Central Kurdish:
عەیب
('eyb)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Central Kurdish:
شەرم
(şerm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Central Kurdish:
شوورەیی
(şûreyî)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Northern Kurdish:
şerm
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Northern Kurdish:
eyb
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Kyrgyz:
уят
(uyat)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Latgalian:
kauns
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Latin:
pudor
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Latvian:
kauns
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Lezgi:
айиб
(ajib)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Lingala:
nsóni
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Lingala:
nsoni
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Macedonian:
срам
(sram)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Manipuri:
ꯏꯀꯥꯏ
(ʼikāʼi)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Māori:
ngaringariā
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Māori:
whakamā
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Māori:
aniutanga
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Māori:
māteatea
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Marathi:
लाज
(lāj)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Middle English:
schame
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Mirandese:
bergonha
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Mirandese:
bargonha
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Mongolian:
ичгүүр
(ičgüür)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Mongolian:
ᠢᠴᠢᠭᠦᠷᠢ
(ičigüri)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Nahuatl:
pinauia
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Neapolitan:
scuorno
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Norman:
honte
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Norwegian Bokmål:
skam
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Norwegian Nynorsk:
skam
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Nuosu:
ꎲ
(shot)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Occitan:
vergonha
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Church Slavic:
срамъ
(sramŭ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Church Slavic:
ⱄⱃⰰⰿⱏ
(sramŭ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Old East Slavic:
соромъ
(soromŭ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Old English:
sċamu
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ossetian:
ӕфсӕрм
(æfsærm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Pangasinan:
baing
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Pannonian Rusyn:
ганьба
(hanʹba)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Pashto:
شرم
(šárəm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Dari:
شَرْم
(šarm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Iranian Persian:
شَرْم
(šarm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Plautdietsch:
Schaund
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Polish:
wstyd
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Polish:
hańba
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Polish:
sromota
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Portuguese:
vergonha
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Romanian:
rușine
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Russian:
стыд
(styd)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Russian:
срам
(sram)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Russian:
позо́р
(pozór)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sanskrit:
लज्जा
(lajjā)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
bergugna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
bregúngia
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
birgonza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
bregunza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
brigunza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
frigonza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
vilgonza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sardinian:
bilgonza
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Serbo-Croatian:
сра̑м
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Serbo-Croatian:
сти̑д
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Serbo-Croatian:
srȃm
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Serbo-Croatian:
stȋd
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sicilian:
virgogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sicilian:
vrigogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sicilian:
vriogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sicilian:
vivrogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sicilian:
briogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Sicilian:
russura
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Slovak:
stud
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Slovak:
hanba
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Slovene:
sram
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Spanish:
acholo
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Spanish:
acholamiento
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Swahili:
aibu
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Swedish:
skam
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Tagalog:
hiya
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Tajik:
шарм
(šarm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Tamil:
வெட்கம்
(veṭkam)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Tatar:
оят
(oyat)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Telugu:
సిగ్గు
(siggu)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Tetum:
moe
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Thai:
ความละอายใจ
(kwaam-lá-aai-jai)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Tocharian B:
kwīpe
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Tocharian B:
yase
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Turkish:
utanç
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Turkish:
ayıp
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ottoman Turkish:
محجوبلق
(mahcubluk)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Turkmen:
utanç
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Turkmen:
uýat
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ugaritic:
𐎁𐎅𐎘
(bhṯ)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ukrainian:
со́ром
(sórom)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ukrainian:
ганьба́
(hanʹbá)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Ukrainian:
стид
(styd)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Unami:
mixanësëwakàn
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Urdu:
شَرْم
(śarm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Uyghur:
نومۇس
(nomus)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Uyghur:
ئۇيات
(uyat)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Uyghur:
ئار
(ar)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Uzbek:
or
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Uzbek:
nomus
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Uzbek:
uyat
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Uzbek:
sharm
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Venetan:
vargogna
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Vietnamese:
sự xấu hổ
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Vietnamese:
sự thẹn
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Vietnamese:
sự ngượng
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Vietnamese:
sự hổ thẹn
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Welsh:
cywillydd
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Yaghnobi:
шарм
(šarm)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Zazaki:
şerm (diq)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Zazaki:
eyv
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Zazaki:
eib
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Zazaki:
ar (diq)
— uncomfortable or painful feeling
Albanian:
turp
— something to regret
Bashkir:
үкенес
(ükenes)
— something to regret
Catalan:
vergonya
— something to regret
Catalan:
llàstima
— something to regret
Catalan:
pudor
— something to regret
Chinese Mandarin:
羞辱
(xiūrǔ)
— something to regret
Chinese Mandarin:
倒霉
(dǎoméi)
— something to regret
Czech:
škoda
— something to regret
Czech:
ostuda
— something to regret
Danish:
skam
— something to regret
Dutch:
schande
— something to regret
Esperanto:
hontaĵo
— something to regret
Finnish:
harmi
— something to regret
Finnish:
vahinko
— something to regret
Finnish:
häpeä
— something to regret
French:
dommage
— something to regret
Galician:
mágoa
— something to regret
Galician:
pena
— something to regret
Galician:
vergoña
— something to regret
Georgian:
საწყენი
(sac̣q̇eni)
— something to regret
Georgian:
დასანანი
(dasanani)
— something to regret
German:
Schande
— something to regret
Greek:
ντροπή
(ntropí)
— something to regret
Hebrew:
חֶרְפָּה
(kherpá)
— something to regret
Hungarian:
kár
— something to regret
Irish:
náire
— something to regret
Italian:
peccato
— something to regret
Japanese:
恥
(haji)
— something to regret
Japanese:
羞恥心
(shūchishin)
— something to regret
Japanese:
面汚し
(tsurayogoshi)
— something to regret
Khmer:
ការអាម៉ាស់
(kaa ʼaamah)
— something to regret
