ignominious
gb/ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs/ us/ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
shameful and humiliating
very embarrassing and shameful
Usage pattern:
[an ignominious + noun]
Common mistake:
Often confused with "infamous" (well-known for bad reasons) or "ignoble" (morally low); "ignominious" focuses on disgrace and humiliation.
Synonyms
disgraceful (General word for bringing shame or loss of respect.)
|
humiliating (Emphasizes the feeling of being embarrassed.)
|
shameful (Emphasizes moral or social disapproval.)
Antonyms
glorious (Associated with honor, pride, and admiration.)
|
honorable (Deserving respect rather than disgrace.)
|
dignified (Having self-respect and calm rather than humiliation.)
Collocations
ignominious defeat
|ignominious failure
|ignominious end
|ignominious collapse
|ignominious retreat
|ignominious exit
|an ignominious performance
|an ignominious episode
|an ignominious mistake
|an ignominious apology
Themes
emotions
|society
|evaluation
Examples
- The team suffered an ignominious defeat in front of its home crowd.
- He resigned after an ignominious scandal that damaged the company’s reputation.
- The project ended in an ignominious collapse when the funding ran out.
Learner examples
- Losing 8–0 was an ignominious defeat.
- She left the job in an ignominious way.
adjective
formal
C2
property
2
marked by loss of honor
having lost respect because of something bad
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] made [ignominious] by [event]
Common mistake:
Do not use for ordinary sadness or disappointment; it implies serious disgrace or humiliation.
Synonyms
dishonorable (Focuses on loss of honor or ethical standing.)
|
discreditable (Focuses on damaging reputation or credibility.)
Antonyms
distinguished (Known and respected for achievement rather than disgrace.)
|
creditable (Deserving approval or respect.)
Collocations
an ignominious surrender
|an ignominious withdrawal
|an ignominious downfall
|an ignominious fate
|an ignominious dismissal
|an ignominious banishment
|an ignominious record
|an ignominious reputation
Themes
emotions
|history_politics
|society
Examples
- The general’s ignominious retreat ended his career.
- The politician’s ignominious downfall was widely reported.
- The organization’s once-proud name became ignominious after the fraud case.
Learner examples
- The leader had an ignominious downfall.
- It was an ignominious retreat.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ignominious
IPA
GB/ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs/
US/ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs/
Syllables & stress
ig - no - mini - ous (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (mini)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ignominious
Word family
Core family
ignominy
noun
ignominiously
adverb C1
Expressions
ignominious defeat
1/ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs dɪfˈit/
fixed phrase
formal
a humiliating loss
a very embarrassing loss
Examples
- They suffered an ignominious defeat in the final.
- The party faced an ignominious defeat at the polls.
- The coach resigned after an ignominious defeat at home.
ignominious failure
1/ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs fˈeɪljɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
a humiliating failure
a very embarrassing failure
Examples
- The product launch turned into an ignominious failure.
- The plan ended in ignominious failure after weeks of delays.
- They tried to hide the ignominious failure, but the report leaked.
ignominious retreat
1/ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs ɹitɹˈit/
fixed phrase
formal
a humiliating withdrawal
to leave in a shameful way after losing
Examples
- The army made an ignominious retreat after the surprise attack.
- The company’s ignominious retreat from the market hurt investor confidence.
- Faced with criticism, he made an ignominious retreat from his earlier claims.
meet an ignominious end
1/mˈit ən ˌɪɡnəmˈɪniəs ˈɛnd/
fixed phrase
formal
end in disgrace
to end in a very shameful way
Examples
- The campaign met an ignominious end after the leaked emails.
- Many promising careers have met an ignominious end because of corruption.
- The once-popular app met an ignominious end when users abandoned it.