disgrace 1 of 2

1
2
as in scandal
a cause of shame the exposure of his criminal record was a huge disgrace for the councilman

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in pity
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a disgrace to let all the leftover food from the banquet go to waste, so let's deliver it to the homeless shelter

Synonyms & Similar Words

disgrace

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun disgrace differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of disgrace are dishonor, disrepute, ignominy, and infamy. While all these words mean "the state or condition of suffering loss of esteem and of enduring reproach," disgrace often implies humiliation and sometimes ostracism.

sent home in disgrace

When could dishonor be used to replace disgrace?

While in some cases nearly identical to disgrace, dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem.

preferred death to life with dishonor

In what contexts can disrepute take the place of disgrace?

In some situations, the words disrepute and disgrace are roughly equivalent. However, disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation.

a once proud name fallen into disrepute

Where would ignominy be a reasonable alternative to disgrace?

The synonyms ignominy and disgrace are sometimes interchangeable, but ignominy stresses humiliation.

the ignominy of being arrested

When is infamy a more appropriate choice than disgrace?

The words infamy and disgrace can be used in similar contexts, but infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame.

a day that lives in infamy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disgrace
Noun
America’s air-traffic control system is an international disgrace. Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025 He’s fired in disgrace from his cushy job, all while grappling with his recent divorce. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
Trump-hating [Ron DeSantis] has disgraced himself by stating that [Andrew Tate] and [Tristan Tate] are not welcome in Florida! David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 Will formerly disgraced Russian performers return to American halls? Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disgrace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disgrace
Noun
  • Moreover, the term body count itself carries a strong undercurrent of shame, particularly toward women.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Doing nothing is no longer an option for schools, teen says Around the country, as cases like Mani's continue to pop up, experts expect that shame prevents most victims from coming forward to flag abuses, suspecting that the problem is much more widespread than media reports suggest.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Using the couple's wedding to distract from a political scandal, Barbara's parents decide to visit Val's dads, who must pretend to be straight, resulting in Albert masquerading as a middle-aged woman.
    Stacy Lambe, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Burke’s career was plagued by scandal, including a dozen internal complaints on his official file.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • None of that, obviously, defines them as people or reduces them to objects of pity.
    Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The woman hummed softly, lower lip jutting out, expression a little too close to pity for Sam’s liking.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Trump World even humiliated Abe by letting it be known that Abe had nominated the U.S. leader for a Nobel Peace Prize.
    William Pesek, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The temptation for Russia to humiliate London and Paris - by breaking any ceasefire with an attack carried out hundreds of miles away from British and French troops stuck in the capital - could prove hard to resist.
    Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Influencers and consumers alike took to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to discredit the brand and show their support for competitors such as Olipop.
    John Hall, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Roberts had been a judge for only about two years when he was nominated for the Supreme Court, so his judicial record was quite thin, and some Democrats and their allies hoped to point to his work as a lawyer to discredit him.
    Ian Millhiser, Vox, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • But the medical-looking royal blue bottles of nicotine lozenges embarrassed her.
    Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Many of them had to fail, repeat, embarrass themselves, risk everything, and learn.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disgrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disgrace. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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