ashamed
gb/əʃˈeɪmd/ us/əʃˈeɪmd/
B1
English
~ 2300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
state
1
feeling guilty or embarrassed
Feeling bad, sorry, or embarrassed about something you did or did not do.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is ashamed of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'ashamed' with 'shy'. 'Ashamed' is about guilt or embarrassment, not being quiet or afraid to talk.
Synonyms
embarrassed (Similar, but often refers more to social discomfort than moral guilt.)
|
guilty (Emphasizes responsibility for wrongdoing more strongly than 'ashamed'.)
Antonyms
proud (Opposite in that it expresses satisfaction and self-respect instead of regret or embarrassment.)
Collocations
deeply ashamed
|ashamed of yourself
|ashamed to admit
|ashamed for
|ashamed look
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She felt ashamed of lying to her best friend.
- I'm ashamed to admit I forgot his birthday.
- He looked ashamed when his mistake was pointed out.
- They were ashamed for not helping sooner.
- I was too ashamed to speak in front of the class.
Learner examples
- I am ashamed of my bad grades.
- She is ashamed to tell the truth.
- He feels ashamed about his mistake.
- We are ashamed for being late.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ashamed
IPA
GB/əʃˈeɪmd/
US/əʃˈeɪmd/
Syllables & stress
ashamed (1 syllable)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ashamed
Word family
Related words
shamefully
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unashamed
adjective
shameless
adjective
shamelessly
adverb
Advanced or less common
unashamedly
adverb C1
Expressions
ashamed of oneself
1/əʃˈeɪmd əv wˌʌnsˈɛlf/
fixed phrase
feeling bad about your own actions
Feeling bad or guilty about what you have done.
Examples
- He was ashamed of himself for yelling at the children.
- You should be ashamed of yourself for cheating.
be ashamed to admit
2/bˈi əʃˈeɪmd tə ədmˈɪt/
fixed phrase
unwilling to say because of shame
Not wanting to say something because you feel bad or embarrassed.
Examples
- I'm ashamed to admit I haven't read that book.
- She was ashamed to admit she needed help.
hang one's head in shame
3/hˈæŋ wˈʌnz hˈɛd ˈɪn ʃˈeɪm/
idiom
lower head because of shame
To look down because you feel bad about something you did.
Examples
- He hung his head in shame after being caught lying.
- She hung her head in shame when her parents found out.