humiliating

American  

[hyoo-mil-ee-ey-ting, yoo-] / hyuˈmɪl iˌeɪ tɪŋ, yu- /

adjective

1. lowering the pride, self-respect, or dignity of a person; mortifying.

   Such a humiliating defeat was good for his overblown ego.

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Other Word Forms

• humiliatingly adverb
• self-humiliating adjective
• unhumiliating adjective
• unhumiliatingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of humiliating

First recorded in 1750–60; humiliat(e) + -ing ²

Explanation

When something humiliating happens to you, it makes you feel embarrassed and ashamed. Your humiliating haircut might force you to wear a stocking cap to work. Something that humbles you and makes you feel foolish is humiliating: it's humiliating to sing your song for the school talent show in the wrong key, and it's even more humiliating when the audience laughs. Admitting defeat in a competition or battle is often described as humiliating, as are most kinds of public embarrassment. The noun humiliation came first, from the same root as humble, the Latin humilis, "lowly, humble," and literally, "on the ground."

Example Sentences

Instead, he delivers his hair-raising message—that we’re staring at “a humiliating and bloody defeat” if we go to war with China—in a jaunty, clever and sometimes breathless book.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

She said that as a dyscalculic student that was a "really humiliating and mortifying experience".

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

But I ultimately decided I couldn’t let someone else go through my stuff—my lack of organization was humiliating.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

His humiliating treatment sent a signal that high-profile figures in the scam industry might be sacrificed to save Cambodia's reputation.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

I don’t want to tell her because saying it out loud—forming the actual words of what happened—is humiliating.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Related Words

• demeaning
• embarrassing
• humbling