disgrace 1 of 2

1
2
as in scandal
a cause of shame the exposure of his criminal record was a huge disgrace for the councilman

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in pity
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a disgrace to let all the leftover food from the banquet go to waste, so let's deliver it to the homeless shelter

Synonyms & Similar Words

disgrace

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun disgrace differ from other similar words?

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

sent home in disgrace

When could dishonor be used to replace disgrace?

While in some cases nearly identical to disgrace, dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem.

preferred death to life with dishonor

In what contexts can disrepute take the place of disgrace?

In some situations, the words disrepute and disgrace are roughly equivalent. However, disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation.

a once proud name fallen into disrepute

Where would ignominy be a reasonable alternative to disgrace?

The synonyms ignominy and disgrace are sometimes interchangeable, but ignominy stresses humiliation.

the ignominy of being arrested

When is infamy a more appropriate choice than disgrace?

The words infamy and disgrace can be used in similar contexts, but infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame.

a day that lives in infamy

Examples 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 disgrace
Noun
This team is a disgrace; sadly, the players seem to realize it. Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024 In a shocking twist, Gi-hun wins the game but refuses to claim his prize when Sang-woo takes his own life rather than face defeat and disgrace. Jane Lacroix, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
To not do so would disgrace the country and strip the Senate of all credibility. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024 After disgracing the art of dance at a severely overcrowded bar Saturday night, I was swiftly punished with a (perhaps deserved) head cold. Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for disgrace 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disgrace
Noun
  • The almost $200-dollar price tag might deter someone who isn’t a Beyoncé fan from buying this, and that’s a shame because this is actually quite nice.
    Jihan Forbes, Allure, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Comments in Hill’s upload ultimately support the unnamed girl and condemn the church for the public shame.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Musk has recently stepped up public comments on British politics, with a particular focus on a decade-old scandal around grooming gangs who targeted young girls in a number of English towns.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Tags Austin hospital scandal Biden administration Defense Department hospitalization Joe Biden Lloyd Austin pentagon Pentagon OIG Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc.
    Brad Dress, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • This fixation is a pity, since opera, like any art form, thrives on debate, disagreement, the back-and-forth of the public sphere.
    Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
  • One of the old Temple songs (also known as Psalm 72) speaks of the coming king giving justice to the poor, defending the needy, having pity on the weak, and rescuing people from oppression and violence.
    N.T. Wright, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Illinois has the seventh-highest scoring offense in Division I, but was humiliated to 29 percent shooting, and the otherwise-excellent Kasparas Jakučionis had more turnovers (seven) than made baskets (five, on 15 tries).
    Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Over several years, victims were beaten, threatened and humiliated, while perpetrators befriended parents to screen them from the systemic abuse.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Beyond her work as a lobbyist, Bondi solidified her reputation as a Trump loyalist by defending him on the floor of the Senate during his first impeachment and helping his efforts to discredit the 2020 election results.
    Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 15 Jan. 2025
  • The AfD has strongly rejected the designation, portraying it as a political attempt to discredit the party.
    Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But the fanbases of those games are not buying it, and have undergone a campaign to embarrass Musk as much as possible about his claims, dragging him into childish internet fights.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
  • And, yes, some justices should also regret embarrassing the court by needlessly attracting attention to their ethics.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near disgrace

Cite this Entry

“Disgrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disgrace. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

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