shame
gb/ʃˈeɪm/ us/ʃˈeɪm/
B1
English
~ 8200
szégyen, gyalázat, kár, megszégyenít, szégyenérzet, de kár
NOUN
B2
1
szégyen
B1
Usage pattern:
to feel shame about/for [something]
He felt deep shame after lying to his parents.
Mély szégyent érzett, amiért hazudott a szüleinek.
Her face burned with shame when the mistake was pointed out in front of everyone.
Égett az arca a szégyentől, amikor mindenki előtt rámutattak a hibájára.
They carried the shame of what they had done for many years.
Out of shame, he avoided everyone who knew about the incident.
The memory still filled her with shame long after it happened.
Learner examples
He felt shame after he broke the promise.
Szégyent érzett, amiért megszegte az ígéretét.
She could not look at them because of her shame.
A szégyene miatt nem tudott a szemükbe nézni.
The boy’s eyes were full of shame when the teacher spoke to him.
I remember the shame I felt when I cheated on the test.
They live with shame because of their past actions.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *shame* instead of *embarrassment* for small social mistakes (like tripping or saying something a bit odd). In English, *shame* is usually stronger and more moral than simple embarrassment. Also, learners sometimes say *I have a shame*; natural English is *I feel shame* or *I am ashamed*.
Meaning
painful feeling of guilt or embarrassment
Collocations
deep shame
|feel shame
|burn with shame
|sense of shame
|overcome your shame
|shame and guilt
Synonyms
guilt (Focuses more on the feeling of being responsible for doing wrong, not always on embarrassment in front of others.)
|
embarrassment (Usually a lighter, less moral feeling; shame suggests something more serious and painful.)
Antonyms
pride (A good feeling about yourself or your actions, opposite to the painful self-judgment of shame.)
Themes
emotions
|psychology
|morality
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very bad feeling you have when you think you did something wrong or that other people will look down on you.
A strong, painful feeling of guilt, embarrassment, or humiliation because you believe you have done something wrong, bad, or socially unacceptable.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to bring shame on/upon [someone/something]
The cheating scandal brought shame on the entire team.
A csalási botrány szégyent hozott az egész csapatra.
He said he could no longer live with the shame of what he had done.
Azt mondta, nem tud tovább együtt élni a tette szégyenével.
The report described the treatment of prisoners as a national shame.
Her actions were a great shame to her family.
The leader resigned in shame after the corruption was exposed.
Learner examples
The crime brought shame on his family.
A bűncselekmény szégyent hozott a családjára.
He left the city in shame after the news came out.
A hírek napvilágra kerülése után megszégyenülten elhagyta a várost.
It is a shame for the country that so many people are poor.
They carry the shame of their past actions.
The company’s shame was in all the newspapers.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *give shame* instead of *bring shame on* or *cause shame to*. The natural verb in this pattern is *bring*, as in *His actions brought shame on his family*.
Meaning
loss of respect or honor
Collocations
bring shame on
|public shame
|a national shame
|family shame
|live in shame
|the shame of [something]
Synonyms
disgrace (Very close in meaning; often slightly stronger and more formal than *shame*.)
Antonyms
honor (Respect and admiration from others, the opposite of being in shame or disgrace.)
Themes
society
|morality
|reputation
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A situation where a person or group loses respect from others because of bad actions.
The state of being publicly disgraced or dishonored, or the loss of respect caused by someone’s bad actions.
NOUN
B1
3
kár
A2
Usage pattern:
it is a shame (that) [clause]
It’s a shame you can’t stay for dinner.
Kár, hogy nem tudsz maradni vacsorára.
What a shame that the concert was cancelled.
Milyen kár, hogy lemondták a koncertet.
It would be a real shame to waste such a good opportunity.
It’s such a shame they had to close the library.
It’s a crying shame that so many people can’t afford a home.
Learner examples
It’s a shame you have to work tonight.
Kár, hogy ma este dolgoznod kell.
What a shame that you missed the show.
Milyen kár, hogy lemaradtál az előadásról.
It would be a shame to throw this food away.
It’s a real shame that they are moving.
It’s a shame we don’t have more time.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *it is shame* instead of *it is a shame*. In this meaning, *a* is required. Also, some learners confuse this with the emotion and say *I feel a shame that…*; natural English is simply *It’s a shame that…* or *I’m sorry that…*.
Meaning
something regrettable or unfortunate
Collocations
it’s a shame that
|what a shame
|a real shame
|a terrible shame
|a crying shame
Synonyms
pity (Very close in this use; *what a pity* and *what a shame* are often interchangeable, though *shame* can sound slightly stronger or more emotional.)
Antonyms
relief (An opposite reaction: instead of feeling it is sad or bad, you feel glad that something happened or did not happen.)
Themes
daily_life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used for saying that something is bad, sad, or not what you wanted.
Used to say that a situation is sad, disappointing, or regrettable.
VERB
C1
4
megszégyenít
B2
Usage pattern:
to shame [someone] (into [doing something])
They tried to shame the company into paying fair wages.
Megpróbálták megszégyenítéssel rábírni a céget arra, hogy tisztességes béreket fizessen.
She felt he was only shaming her instead of helping her fix the problem.
Úgy érezte, a férfi csak megszégyeníti, ahelyett hogy segítene neki megoldani a problémát.
The report shamed the government by revealing years of failures.
He was shamed in front of the whole class for copying the homework.
Activists used social media to name and shame polluting firms.
Learner examples
The teacher did not want to shame the boy in front of the class.
A tanár nem akarta megszégyeníteni a fiút az osztály előtt.
They tried to shame the manager into changing the rules.
Megpróbálták megszégyenítéssel rávenni a vezetőt, hogy változtasson a szabályokon.
The story in the news shamed the company.
I don’t want to shame him; I just want him to understand.
She felt shamed by her friends’ comments.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *shame on* as a verb (*The article shamed on the company*). *Shame on* is a fixed phrase (as in *Shame on you!*), not a normal verb pattern. Use *shame [someone]* or *shame [someone] into [doing something]*.
Meaning
make someone feel ashamed
Collocations
publicly shame
|shame someone into
|try to shame
|name and shame
|to shame others
Synonyms
humiliate (Usually stronger and more formal; focuses on making someone feel very small or foolish in front of others.)
|
embarrass (Can be milder and less moral; *shame* often suggests a judgment about right and wrong.)
Antonyms
praise (To express approval or admiration, the opposite of making someone feel ashamed.)
Themes
emotions
|society
|communication
|relationships
Definition
To make a person feel very bad or embarrassed about what they did, often in public.
To cause someone to feel ashamed or deeply embarrassed, especially by drawing attention to their wrong or bad behavior.
NOUN
C1
5
szégyenérzet
B2
Usage pattern:
to have (no) shame
He has no shame; he’ll lie to anyone to get what he wants.
Semmi szégyenérzete sincs; bárkinek hazudik, hogy megszerezze, amit akar.
Where is your sense of shame, talking like that to your parents?
Hol van a szégyenérzeted, hogy így beszélsz a szüleiddel?
She asked the question without the slightest shame.
They begged for money on the street without shame.
The ad seems to celebrate greed and a total lack of shame.
Learner examples
He has no shame; he takes money from his friends and never pays it back.
Semmi szégyenérzete sincs; pénzt kér kölcsön a barátaitól, és soha nem fizeti vissza.
She spoke without shame about her selfish plans.
Szégyenérzet nélkül beszélt az önző terveiről.
You should have some shame when you talk to your teacher.
They did it with no shame at all.
He lost all shame when he started to cheat people.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse *no shame* with *not shy*. *Having no shame* is stronger; it usually means doing bad or rude things without caring, not just being confident.
Meaning
sense of decency or modesty
Collocations
have no shame
|a sense of shame
|without shame
|lose all shame
|show no shame
Synonyms
decency (Focuses more on social and moral standards; *shame* here is the inner feeling that supports that decency.)
Antonyms
shamelessness (The complete lack of shame or guilt, especially when doing something wrong or rude.)
Themes
morality
|character
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The normal feeling that stops a person from doing bad, rude, or selfish things, because they would feel ashamed.
A person’s natural capacity to feel shame, embarrassment, or moral restraint, especially in the phrase ‘a sense of shame’ or ‘no shame’.
B2
INFORMAL
6
“I didn’t get the job.” “Oh, shame. I know you really wanted it.”
– Nem kaptam meg az állást. – Jaj, de kár. Tudom, hogy nagyon szeretted volna.
“He still refuses to apologize.” “Shame! He should know better.”
– Még mindig nem hajlandó bocsánatot kérni. – Szégyen! Pedig tudhatná, mi a helyes.
The crowd shouted, “Shame!” as the politician left the building.
“They cancelled the game because of the rain.” “Ah, shame, the kids were so excited.”
People in the audience cried, “Shame on you! Shame!” during the speech.
Learner examples
“I failed my test.” “Shame, I know you tried hard.”
– Megbuktam a vizsgán. – Jaj, de kár, tudom, hogy sokat készültél rá.
When he refused to help, people shouted, “Shame!”
Amikor nem volt hajlandó segíteni, az emberek azt kiabálták: „Szégyen!”
She said, “Oh shame, I wanted to see you.”
“We lost the match again.” “Shame, maybe next time.”
The crowd called, “Shame!” when they heard the bad news.
Common mistake:
This use is regional (for example in South African and some British varieties). Learners may overuse it in all contexts. In many situations, *I’m sorry to hear that* or *That’s too bad* is more natural in international English.
Meaning
spoken reaction of sympathy/disapproval
Synonyms
too bad (Similar when expressing sympathy about an unfortunate event, though *shame* can also express moral disapproval.)
Antonyms
well done (A positive reaction word, opposite in tone to a reaction of sympathy or disapproval.)
Themes
conversation
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A word you say to show you feel sorry about something bad, or that you think someone’s behavior is bad.
Used, especially in some varieties of English, to express sympathy about something bad that has happened or disapproval of someone’s behavior.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shame
IPA
GB/ʃˈeɪm/
US/ʃˈeɪm/
Syllables & stress
shame (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shame)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shame
- Plural: shame
Verb
- Base: shame
- 3rd Person Singular: shames
- Present Participle: shaming
- Past: shamed
Word family
Forms
shames
verb
shaming
verb
shamed
verb
Related words
shamefully
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
shamelessness
noun
Expressions
crying shame
1/kɹˈaɪɪŋ ʃˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
very regrettable situation
Used to say that something is very sad or very wrong and should not happen.
Examples
- It’s a crying shame that so many children go to bed hungry.
- What a crying shame to waste such talent.
- It’s a crying shame that the park may be turned into a parking lot.
die of shame
1/dˈaɪ əv ʃˈeɪm/
idiom
informal
feel extreme shame
To feel extremely embarrassed or ashamed, used in an exaggerated way (you do not really die).
Examples
- I wanted to die of shame when I saw my mistake on the big screen.
- She said she would die of shame if anyone found out.
- He almost died of shame when his mother showed his baby photos to his friends.
have no shame
1/hˈæv nˈoʊ ʃˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
completely lack shame
To not feel bad or embarrassed at all, even when doing things that most people think are wrong or rude.
Examples
- He has no shame; he lies to everyone.
- Some influencers seem to have no shame about promoting anything for money.
- She has no shame about cutting in line every day.
it’s a shame (that)
1/ˈɪts ə ʃˈeɪm ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
introducing a regrettable fact
Used before a sentence to say that what you are going to say is sad, bad, or disappointing.
Examples
- It’s a shame that we don’t live closer to each other.
- It’s a shame you have to leave so early.
- It’s a shame that the museum is closed on Mondays.
more’s the shame
1/mˈɔɹˌeɪz ðə ʃˈeɪm/
idiom
literary
emphasizing something is regrettable
An old-fashioned phrase that means ‘and that is very unfortunate’ or ‘and that should not be like that’.
Examples
- Few people read serious news anymore, more’s the shame.
- They never apologized, more’s the shame.
- He doesn’t use his talent, more’s the shame.
name and shame
1/nˈeɪm ˈænd ʃˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
publicly expose wrongdoers
To publicly say the names of people or groups that did something wrong, in order to make them feel bad and change their behavior.
Examples
- The campaign plans to name and shame companies that pollute the river.
- Some newspapers regularly name and shame drunk drivers.
- They used social media to name and shame employers who broke the law.
put [someone/something] to shame
1/pˈʊt sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ tə ʃˈeɪm/
idiom
make others look bad by comparison
To be much better than someone or something, so that the other person or thing looks weak or bad.
Examples
- Her homemade bread puts the store-bought kind to shame.
- The young player’s energy put the older team members to shame.
- Their kindness puts our small donation to shame.
shame on you
1/ʃˈeɪm ˈɔn jˈu/
idiom
telling someone to feel ashamed
Used to say strongly that you think someone did something bad or wrong and should feel ashamed.
Examples
- Shame on you for lying to your friends.
- “You cheated on the exam?” “Shame on you!”
- Shame on you if you knew and said nothing.
walk of shame
1/wˈɔk əv ʃˈeɪm/
idiom
informal
embarrassing walk after an event
An embarrassing walk in public after doing something people may judge, for example leaving someone’s home in the morning after a one-night stand, or leaving a game after a big loss.
Examples
- He did the walk of shame back to the office after the presentation went badly.
- She joked about her walk of shame through the hotel lobby the next morning.
- Fans began the long walk of shame home after their team lost 5–0.
what a shame
1/wˈʌt ə ʃˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
saying something is unfortunate
Used to say that you think something is sad, disappointing, or not what you wanted.
Examples
- What a shame you couldn’t come to the party.
- What a shame the weather was so bad on your holiday.
- What a shame he didn’t see her before she left.