indignity
gb/ɪndˈɪɡnəti/ us/ɪndˈɪɡnəti/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
abstract
1
humiliating or insulting treatment
an experience that makes you feel embarrassed or disrespected.
Usage pattern:
the indignity of [situation]; suffer/endure an indignity; subject [someone] to indignities
Common mistake:
Often confused with indignation (the feeling of anger about unfairness). Indignity is the humiliating experience or treatment.
Synonyms
humiliation (focuses on being made to feel ashamed.)
|
insult (can be less formal and may refer to words as well as treatment.)
|
affront (emphasizes a deliberate or serious insult.)
|
degradation (suggests lowering someone’s status or dignity in a harsh way.)
Antonyms
dignity (the state of being respected and valued.)
|
respect (polite, considerate treatment.)
|
honor (high respect or recognition of worth.)
Collocations
the indignity of
|suffer an indignity
|endure indignities
|subject someone to indignities
|public indignity
|personal indignity
|added indignity
|avoidable indignity
|a sense of indignity
|to feel the indignity
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|society
Examples
- He accepted the indignity of being searched in public to avoid missing his flight.
- The policy forced patients to endure indignities that could easily have been prevented.
- She refused to put up with the indignity of being spoken to like a child.
Learner examples
- I felt an indignity when they laughed at me.
- No one should suffer that kind of indignity.
Noun
formal
C1
event
2
a humiliating act or incident
one specific thing that makes you feel embarrassed or disrespected.
Usage pattern:
an indignity; a small/minor indignity; an added indignity
Common mistake:
In the singular, it usually means one particular humiliating incident; in the plural, it often means many such incidents over time.
Synonyms
humiliation (more common; can refer to both the feeling and the event.)
|
slight (often a smaller, less serious insult.)
|
mortification (emphasizes intense embarrassment.)
Antonyms
compliment (a remark or act showing approval or admiration.)
|
courtesy (polite behavior that shows respect.)
Collocations
a minor indignity
|a small indignity
|an added indignity
|a fresh indignity
|a further indignity
|a daily indignity
|a petty indignity
|one more indignity
|a series of indignities
|an unnecessary indignity
Themes
emotions
|daily_life
|society
Examples
- Being asked to prove her identity again felt like a needless indignity.
- The coach’s comments were just one more indignity in a difficult season.
- They laughed it off as a minor indignity and moved on.
Learner examples
- Waiting outside in the rain was an added indignity.
- That comment was an indignity.
Noun
formal
C2
state
3
state of being undignified
a situation where someone has lost dignity or respect.
Usage pattern:
sink/fall into indignity
Common mistake:
Less common in everyday speech than the 'humiliating treatment/incident' senses; it can sound literary.
Synonyms
disgrace (often implies loss of respect because of wrongdoing or failure.)
|
ignominy (more literary; emphasizes public shame.)
Antonyms
prestige (high status and respect.)
|
honor (public respect and a sense of worth.)
Collocations
sink into indignity
|fall into indignity
|live in indignity
|drag someone into indignity
|a life of indignity
Themes
emotions
|society
Examples
- He feared that accepting the deal would mean living in indignity for the rest of his life.
- Without support, many older people slip into poverty and indignity.
- The memoir describes the slow descent into indignity after the scandal.
Grammar
Dictionary form
indignity
IPA
GB/ɪndˈɪɡnəti/
US/ɪndˈɪɡnəti/
Syllables & stress
in - dig - nity (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (dig)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: indignity
- Plural: indignities, indignity
Word family
Forms
indignities
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
undignified
adjective
Advanced or less common
indignantly
adverb C1
Expressions
one indignity after another
1/wˈʌn ɪndˈɪɡnəti ˈæftɚ ənˈʌðɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
many humiliations in a row
many humiliating things happen again and again.
Examples
- The whole trip was one indignity after another, from lost bags to rude staff.
- After the injury, it was one indignity after another during his recovery.
- Trying to fix the mistake turned into one indignity after another.
subject [someone] to indignities
1/səbd͡ʒˈɛkt sˈʌmwˌʌn tə ɪndˈɪɡnətiz/
fixed phrase
formal
treat someone humiliatingly
to make someone experience many humiliations.
Examples
- The report said detainees were subjected to indignities on a daily basis.
- No employee should be subjected to indignities just to keep a job.
- They accused the officials of subjecting residents to needless indignities.
suffer an indignity
1/sˈʌfɚ ən ɪndˈɪɡnəti/
fixed phrase
formal
be forced to endure humiliation
to experience something that makes you feel ashamed or disrespected.
Examples
- Passengers suffered the indignity of being questioned for hours without explanation.
- He refused to suffer the indignity of apologizing for something he hadn’t done.
- Many workers suffer indignities that would not be accepted in other industries.
the final indignity
1/ðə fˈaɪnəl ɪndˈɪɡnəti/
fixed phrase
formal
last humiliating event
the last bad, humiliating thing that happens.
Examples
- The final indignity was being asked to clean up the mess he hadn’t made.
- For her, the final indignity came when her work was credited to someone else.
- After hours of delays, being turned away at the gate felt like the final indignity.
the indignity of [something]
1/ðə ɪndˈɪɡnəti əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
humiliating aspect of something
used to say something is humiliating.
Examples
- He dreaded the indignity of having to ask his parents for money again.
- She spoke about the indignity of being ignored by the staff.
- They endured the indignity of sleeping on the floor for weeks.