If someone is ashamed, they feel embarrassed or guilty because of something they do or they have done, or because of their appearance.
I felt incredibly ashamed of myself for getting so angry. [+ of]
She was ashamed that she looked so shabby.
[Also + about]
Synonyms: embarrassed, sorry, guilty, upset More Synonyms of ashamed
2. adjective
If you are ashamed of someone, you feel embarrassed to be connected with them, often because of their appearance or because you disapprove of something they have done.
I've never told this to anyone, but it's true, I was terribly ashamed of my mum. [+ of]
3. adjective
If someone is ashamedto do something, they do not want to do it because they feel embarrassed about it.
Women are often ashamed to admit they are being abused.
More Synonyms of ashamed
ashamed in British English
(əˈʃeɪmd)
adjective(usually postpositive)
1.
overcome with shame, guilt, or remorse
2. (foll by of)
suffering from feelings of inferiority or shame in relation to (a person, thing, or deed)
3. (foll by to)
unwilling through fear of humiliation, shame, etc
Derived forms
ashamedly (əˈʃeɪmɪdlɪ)
adverb
Word origin
Old English āscamod, past participle of āscamian to shame, from scamushame
ashamed in American English
(əˈʃeɪmd)
adjective
1.
feeling shame because something bad, wrong, or foolish was done
2.
feeling humiliated or embarrassed, as from a sense of inadequacy or inferiority
3.
reluctant because fearing shame beforehand
SYNONYMY NOTE: ashamed implies embarrassment, and sometimes guilt, felt because of one's own or another'swrong or foolish behavior [ashamed of his tears]; humiliate implies a sense of being humbled or disgraced [humiliated by my failure]; mortify suggests humiliation so great as to seem almost fatal to one's pride or self-esteem[she was mortified by his obscenities]; chagrin verb transitive suggests embarrassment coupled usually with regret over what might have been prevented[chagrined at his error]
OPPOSITE: proud
Derived forms
ashamedly (aˈshamedly) (əˈʃeɪmɪdli)
adverb
Word origin
ME < OE asceamod, pp. of ascamian, to be ashamed < a-, a-2 + scamian < scamu, shame
Examples of 'ashamed' in a sentence
ashamed
And finally it made me feel ashamed.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It makes you feel guilty and ashamed.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You wouldn't be ashamed to say you like it any more.
The Sun (2016)
I was too nervous and the thought of it still makes me feel ashamed.
The Sun (2016)
I feel ashamed and disgusted with myself.
The Sun (2016)
I feel a bit ashamed of that.
The Sun (2016)
I feel very guilty and ashamed.
The Sun (2016)
We feel ashamed and guilty,' he said.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
You have no cause to feel ashamed.
The Sun (2011)
And why should she be ashamed to admit this?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The court heard that she was ashamed and embarrassed and realises things are over with the dad.
The Sun (2013)
My own feeling was that she was too ashamed to say anything.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Sick of feeling ashamed as you chuck yet another bag of limp salad into the bin?
The Sun (2014)
Police said he was likely to have attacked others too embarrassed or ashamed to come forward.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Men are often too embarrassed or ashamed to seek help.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He has kept it all in until now but he feels ashamed that it was somehow his fault.
The Sun (2016)
Not angry, not ashamed but extremely disappointed.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There's no need to feel ashamed or guilty.
Christianity Today (2000)
They liked to keep their involvement quiet, and were ashamed of things such as cardboard shoes.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It only left me angry and ashamed, with a fear of what was inside.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The 10 members of the jury who voted guilty should be ashamed.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Don't be ashamed to admit it.
Turner, Janine Behind Closed Doors - advice for families with violence in the home (1988)
It is hard to watch without feeling disgusted, ashamed and angry.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I was ashamed for the thing we call civilisation.
Claire Harman ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (2005)
I am ashamed to admit that what he got instead was a torrent of abuse.
Frankie Dettori with Jonathan Powell FRANKIE: The Autobiography of Frankie Dettori (2004)
This is normal and he needs to be enabled to feel comfortable about it - not guilty or ashamed.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But the fun in writing the book was getting all the secret stuff out - all the things women are ashamed about.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I was deeply angry and ashamed.
The Sun (2009)
I felt so ashamed and guilty.
The Sun (2013)
I'm ashamed to say it took two or three takes for me to calm down.
The Sun (2014)
A man ain't ashamed to say he wants to own a racing stable or a picture gallery.
Edith Wharton The House of Mirth (1905)
In other languages
ashamed
British English: ashamed /əˈʃeɪmd/ ADJECTIVE
If someone is ashamed of something or someone, they feel embarrassed about it or guilty because of it.
I felt incredibly ashamed of myself for getting so angry.
American English: ashamed
Arabic: خَجْلان
Brazilian Portuguese: envergonhado
Chinese: 羞愧的
Croatian: posramljen
Czech: zahanbený
Danish: skamfuld
Dutch: beschaamd
European Spanish: avergonzado reprensible
Finnish: häpeissään
French: honteux
German: schamerfüllt
Greek: ντροπιασμένος
Italian: vergognarsi
Japanese: 恥じて
Korean: 부끄러워 하는
Norwegian: skamfull
Polish: zawstydzony
European Portuguese: envergonhado
Romanian: rușinat
Russian: пристыженный
Latin American Spanish: avergonzado
Swedish: skamsen
Thai: อับอาย
Turkish: mahcup
Ukrainian: присоромлений
Vietnamese: xấu hổ
Chinese translation of 'ashamed'
ashamed
(əˈʃeɪmd)
adj
to be/feel ashamed (= embarrassed, guilty) 感到羞愧 (gǎndào xiūkuì)
to be ashamed of sb/sth对(對)某人/某事感到羞愧 (duì mǒurén/mǒushì gǎndào xiūkuì)
to be ashamed of o.s. (for having done sth)因自己(做了某事)而感到惭(慚)愧 (yīn zìjǐ (zuòle mǒushì) ér gǎndào cánkuì)
to be ashamed to admit sth耻(恥)于(於)承认(認)某事 (chǐ yú chéngrèn mǒushì)
1 (adjective)
Definition
overcome with shame or remorse
He was ashamed at how shabbily he had dressed for the occasion.
Synonyms
embarrassed
She looked a bit embarrassed.
sorry
She was very sorry about all the trouble she'd caused.
guilty
When she saw me, she looked extremely guilty.
upset
distressed
shy
humbled
humiliated
blushing
self-conscious
I felt a bit self-conscious in my swimming costume.
red-faced
chagrined
flustered
mortified
I was absolutely mortified about making the mistake.
sheepish
He looked a little sheepish when he answered.
bashful
a bashful child
prudish
crestfallen
discomfited
remorseful
He was genuinely remorseful.
abashed
He seemed both abashed and delighted at the gift.
shamefaced
There was a long silence and my father looked shamefaced.
conscience-stricken
discountenanced
Opposites
pleased
,
honoured
,
satisfied
,
proud
,
vain
,
gratified
,
unashamed
2 (adjective)
Definition
unwilling through fear of humiliation or shame
She made up the story because she was ashamed to tell her family she was jobless.
Synonyms
reluctant
He was reluctant to ask for help.
afraid
He seems to live in an ivory tower, afraid to enter the real world.
embarrassed
scared
Why are you so scared?
unwilling
Initially the government was unwilling to accept the defeat.
loath
She is loath to give up her hard-earned liberty.
disinclined
He was disinclined to talk about himself.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abashed
Definition
embarrassed and ashamed
He seemed both abashed and delighted at the gift.
Synonyms
embarrassed,
confused,
humbled,
humiliated,
dismayed,
ashamed,
bewildered,
astounded,
confounded,
disconcerted,
taken aback,
affronted,
chagrined,
perturbed,
mortified,
discomfited,
shamefaced,
discountenanced,
discomposed
in the sense of afraid
He seems to live in an ivory tower, afraid to enter the real world.