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
The prime minister of Israel should be ashamed, knowing the history of his people, to stand there and allow such things to be said.
—
Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
Baker is the advocate independent cinema needs — an auteur who’s not ashamed to entertain.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2025
District ‘should be ashamed’ The Bus Safety Program is the result of a three-way partnership between BusPatrol, the school district, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
—Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
The law is a $1 trillion-plus lie at the center of Biden’s legacy, and Republicans should not be ashamed to remove it from the statute books.
—The Editors, National Review, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ashamed
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Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
Baker is the advocate independent cinema needs — an auteur who’s not ashamed to entertain.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2025
District ‘should be ashamed’ The Bus Safety Program is the result of a three-way partnership between BusPatrol, the school district, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
—Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
The law is a $1 trillion-plus lie at the center of Biden’s legacy, and Republicans should not be ashamed to remove it from the statute books.
—The Editors, National Review, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ashamed
Cite this Entry
“Ashamed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ashamed. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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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