- (transitive) to lower or hurt the dignity or pride of
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
hu•mil•i•at•ing /hyuˈmɪliˌeɪtɪŋ/USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- causing a feeling of humiliation:That humiliating defeat crushed the team.
hu•mil•i•at•ing
(hyo̅o̅ mil′ē ā′ting or, often, yo̅o̅-),USA pronunciation adj.
hu•mil′i•at′ing•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- lowering the pride, self-respect, or dignity of a person;
mortifying:Such a humiliating defeat was good for his overblown ego.
- humiliate + -ing2 1750–60
hu•mil•i•ate /hyuˈmɪliˌeɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -at•ed, -at•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to cause (a person) a painful loss of pride, self-respect, or dignity:The mishap humiliated her in front of her friends.
hu•mil•i•ate
(hyo̅o̅ mil′ē āt′ or, often, yo̅o̅-),USA pronunciation v.t., -at•ed, -at•ing.
hu•mil′i•a′tor, n.
hu•mil•i•a•to•ry
(hyo̅o̅ mil′ē ə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē or, often, yo̅o̅-),USA pronunciation hu•mil′i•a′tive, adj.
- to cause (a person) a painful loss of pride, self-respect, or dignity; mortify.
- Late Latin humiliātus (past participle of humiliāre to humble), equivalent. to Latin humili(s) humble + -ātus -ate1
- 1525–35
- dishonor, disgrace, shame; degrade, abase, debase. See humble.
- exalt, honor.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
humiliate /hjuːˈmɪlɪˌeɪt/ vb
'humiliating' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
contumely
- crow
- fiasco
- galling
- haze
- kick
- laughing stock
- abject
- abjection
- comedown
- crap
- crappy
- degrading
- divorce mill
- drubbing
- humiliation
- ignominious
- indignity
- pratfall
- ridicule
- self-humiliating
- shameful