1
a
: feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
She felt ashamed for hitting her brother.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Losing is nothing to be ashamed of.
He was deeply ashamed of his behavior.
b
: feeling inferior or unworthy
2
: reluctant or unwilling to do something because of shame or embarrassment
I was ashamed to be seen with him.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't know the answer.
Examples of ashamed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Maybe the mere fact of having been born illustrious, with no apparent faults, with nothing to prove or to be ashamed of, had liberated John from the resentments the rest of us feel, and from the cunning and ambition such resentments fuel.
—
Jeffrey Eugenides, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026
This is a terrible blow against reform and the Dems should be ashamed.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Even as workers reach a breaking point, many still feel ashamed to seek help from food banks or family, Finlay said.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Experts agree plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures are nothing to be ashamed of and transparency from celebrities is critical to dismantling unhealthy beauty norms.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ashamed
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Jeffrey Eugenides, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026
This is a terrible blow against reform and the Dems should be ashamed.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Even as workers reach a breaking point, many still feel ashamed to seek help from food banks or family, Finlay said.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Experts agree plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures are nothing to be ashamed of and transparency from celebrities is critical to dismantling unhealthy beauty norms.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ashamed
Cite this Entry
“Ashamed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ashamed. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ashamed
adjective1
: feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
ashamed of my behavior
2
: kept from doing something by an expectation of shame
ashamed to beg
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