IGNOMINY Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'ignominy' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ignominy are disgrace , dishonor , disrepute , and infamy . While all these words mean "the state or condition of suffering loss of esteem and of enduring reproach," ignominy stresses humiliation. // the ignominy of being arrested

Q: When can 'disgrace' be used instead of 'ignominy'?

The synonyms disgrace and ignominy are sometimes interchangeable, but disgrace often implies humiliation and sometimes ostracism. // sent home in disgrace

Q: In what contexts can 'dishonor' take the place of 'ignominy'?

In some situations, the words dishonor and ignominy are roughly equivalent. However, dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem. // preferred death to life with dishonor

Q: Where would 'disrepute' be a reasonable alternative to 'ignominy'?

The meanings of disrepute and ignominy largely overlap; however, disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation. // a once proud name fallen into disrepute

Q: When might 'infamy' be a better fit than 'ignominy'?

Although the words infamy and ignominy have much in common, infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame. // a day that lives in infamy

ignominy

noun

ˈig-nə-ˌmi-nē

Definition of ignominy next

as in disgrace

the state of having lost the esteem of others he spent the remainder of his life in ignominy after being involved in a bribery scandal

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How does the noun ignominy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ignominy are disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, and infamy. While all these words mean "the state or condition of suffering loss of esteem and of enduring reproach," ignominy stresses humiliation.

the ignominy of being arrested

When can disgrace be used instead of ignominy?

The synonyms disgrace and ignominy are sometimes interchangeable, but disgrace often implies humiliation and sometimes ostracism.

sent home in disgrace

In what contexts can dishonor take the place of ignominy?

In some situations, the words dishonor and ignominy are roughly equivalent. However, dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem.

preferred death to life with dishonor

Where would disrepute be a reasonable alternative to ignominy?

The meanings of disrepute and ignominy largely overlap; however, disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation.

a once proud name fallen into disrepute

When might infamy be a better fit than ignominy?

Although the words infamy and ignominy have much in common, infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame.

a day that lives in infamy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ignominy The Wizards carried a 10-game losing streak into Saturday and were four days removed from the historic ignominy of allowing 83 points to Miami’s Bam Adebayo. —

Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026 The worry, of course, is that the Ueda board might suffer the same ignominy as the 2006-2008 BOJ. —

William Pesek, Forbes.com, 1 Mar. 2026 Khan isn’t the first Pakistani prime minister whose legal ignominy is tied to jewelry. —

Rafia Zakaria, Time, 6 Nov. 2025 Sometime this week – or next week, at the latest – Riley Greene will end the latest era of ignominy for the Detroit Tigers. —

Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ignominy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignominy

Noun

Just two years earlier a president had resigned in disgrace after what had been one of the nation’s toughest constitutional challenges, putting immense pressure on Congress and the Supreme Court to respond to a rogue executive branch.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Shifting gears, my PGA TOUR betting record this season is a disgrace.

— Geoff Clark OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026

Definition of disgrace

Noun

Women often bear the brunt of the shame and grief that comes from divorce, and for many women, divorce can be seen as a personal failure.

— Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Concurrently, adult children often feel shame about accepting money and can also feel judged by the older generation.

— Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 29 June 2026

Definition of shame

Noun

Darcy’s first proposal is a humiliation—for him, not her—and his transformation in the novel’s second half works because Austen is unsparing about what Elizabeth’s rejection actually reveals.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
The New York governor fled in humiliation.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026

Definition of humiliation

Browse Nearby Words

ignominious

ignominy

ignorable

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“Ignominy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignominy. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ignominy

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