Humiliate
verb
To make someone feel very ashamed or embarrassed.
He was humiliated when his secret was revealed to everyone.
Often appears as...
- publicly humiliate
- humiliate oneself
verb
To make wealthier people or higher classes feel equal to a lower person or class by making them embarrassed.
The king was humiliated before his people to show that even he is not perfect.
Often appears as...
- royally humiliate
- socially humiliate
Usage tips
Disapproving
Political
verb
To greatly diminish one's sense of pride, dignity, or self-respect.
His harsh criticism humiliated me in front of my colleagues.
Often appears as...
- humiliate publicly
- suffered humiliation
Usage tips
Academic
verb
To make someone feel very ashamed or embarrassed.
He was humiliated when his secret was revealed to everyone.
Often appears as...
- publicly humiliate
- humiliate oneself
verb
To make wealthier people or higher classes feel equal to a lower person or class by making them embarrassed.
The king was humiliated before his people to show that even he is not perfect.
Often appears as...
- royally humiliate
- socially humiliate
Usage tips
Disapproving
Political
verb
To greatly diminish one's sense of pride, dignity, or self-respect.
His harsh criticism humiliated me in front of my colleagues.
Often appears as...
- humiliate publicly
- suffered humiliation
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Power Dynamics
Being humiliated often involves a power imbalance, where one person exerts control over another.
The boss humiliated her assistant by criticizing him in the meeting.
Pro Tip 2/3Public vs Private
Humiliation can be more intense if it's in public as the audience's reaction contributes to the feeling.
She felt humiliated when her mistake was pointed out in front of the entire class.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Humiliation can cause lasting emotional damage and is often remembered vividly.
He never forgot the day he was humiliated on the sports field.
Pro Tip 1/3Power Dynamics
Being humiliated often involves a power imbalance, where one person exerts control over another.
The boss humiliated her assistant by criticizing him in the meeting.
Pro Tip 2/3Public vs Private
Humiliation can be more intense if it's in public as the audience's reaction contributes to the feeling.
She felt humiliated when her mistake was pointed out in front of the entire class.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Humiliation can cause lasting emotional damage and is often remembered vividly.
He never forgot the day he was humiliated on the sports field.
Pro Tip 1/3Power Dynamics
Being humiliated often involves a power imbalance, where one person exerts control over another.
The boss humiliated her assistant by criticizing him in the meeting.
Pro Tip 2/3Public vs Private
Humiliation can be more intense if it's in public as the audience's reaction contributes to the feeling.
She felt humiliated when her mistake was pointed out in front of the entire class.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Humiliation can cause lasting emotional damage and is often remembered vividly.
He never forgot the day he was humiliated on the sports field.
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Video examples
The urgent need for...
confronted all of the pain and anguish that was created by decades of segregation we said to black people you're not good enough to vote just because you're black we said the black kids you can't go to school with other kids because you're black I started my education at a colored school my parents were humiliated every day of their lives
Video examples
Bring on the learning...
This one teacher didn't take it seriously. He said I was throwing my life away if that's all I chose to do with it; that I should go to college, I should become a professional person, that I had great potential and I was wasting my talent to do that." He said, "It was humiliating. It was in front of the whole class and I felt dreadful.
Video examples
How to make your writing...
What's obvious to you may not be to the next person. And the opposite of the dumbest idea might just turn out to be the smartest. What about all that dumb stuff that happens in real life? Have you ever noticed how much comedy revolves around things that irritate, frustrate, and humiliate us?
Video examples
Amelia Earhart Part II:...
technically the first woman to cross the atlantic and she became famous for it but she never flew that plane she sat in the back a sack of potatoes so it was said it was quickly dismissed for what it was a gimmick and that humiliation became a defining moment for amelia earhart
Video examples
The voices in my head PIPE...
A hospital admission followed, the first of many, a diagnosis of schizophrenia came next, and then, worst of all, a toxic, tormenting sense of hopelessness, humiliation and despair about myself and my prospects. But having been encouraged to see the voice
Video examples
How did Hitler rise to...
Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war and pay reparations, debilitating its already weakened economy. All this was seen as a humiliation by many nationalists and veterans. They wrongly believed the war could have been won
Video examples
My year of saying yes to...
I wish it were that easy, but I'm not good at playing. I don't like it. I'm not interested in doing it the way I'm interested in doing work. The truth is incredibly humbling and humiliating to face. I don't like playing.
Video examples
Teach girls bravery, not...
Don't do the math. It was humiliating. Now, before you get the wrong idea, this is not a talk about the importance of failure. Nor is it about leaning in.
Video examples
Seton's Journey to Kill...
nothing and sod today I have ridden without rest her staff between 35 and 45 I am facing total humiliation
Video examples
The price of shame PIPE...
The public humiliation was excruciating. Life was almost unbearable.
Video examples
The urgent need for...
confronted all of the pain and anguish that was created by decades of segregation we said to black people you're not good enough to vote just because you're black we said the black kids you can't go to school with other kids because you're black I started my education at a colored school my parents were humiliated every day of their lives
Video examples
Bring on the learning...
This one teacher didn't take it seriously. He said I was throwing my life away if that's all I chose to do with it; that I should go to college, I should become a professional person, that I had great potential and I was wasting my talent to do that." He said, "It was humiliating. It was in front of the whole class and I felt dreadful.
Video examples
How to make your writing...
What's obvious to you may not be to the next person. And the opposite of the dumbest idea might just turn out to be the smartest. What about all that dumb stuff that happens in real life? Have you ever noticed how much comedy revolves around things that irritate, frustrate, and humiliate us?
Video examples
Amelia Earhart Part II:...
technically the first woman to cross the atlantic and she became famous for it but she never flew that plane she sat in the back a sack of potatoes so it was said it was quickly dismissed for what it was a gimmick and that humiliation became a defining moment for amelia earhart
Video examples
The voices in my head PIPE...
A hospital admission followed, the first of many, a diagnosis of schizophrenia came next, and then, worst of all, a toxic, tormenting sense of hopelessness, humiliation and despair about myself and my prospects. But having been encouraged to see the voice
Video examples
How did Hitler rise to...
Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war and pay reparations, debilitating its already weakened economy. All this was seen as a humiliation by many nationalists and veterans. They wrongly believed the war could have been won
Video examples
My year of saying yes to...
I wish it were that easy, but I'm not good at playing. I don't like it. I'm not interested in doing it the way I'm interested in doing work. The truth is incredibly humbling and humiliating to face. I don't like playing.
Video examples
Teach girls bravery, not...
Don't do the math. It was humiliating. Now, before you get the wrong idea, this is not a talk about the importance of failure. Nor is it about leaning in.
Video examples
Seton's Journey to Kill...
nothing and sod today I have ridden without rest her staff between 35 and 45 I am facing total humiliation
Video examples
The price of shame PIPE...
The public humiliation was excruciating. Life was almost unbearable.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Heavy D
Jamaican Musician
There's something about being any kind of entertainer that is acting. You have to put on a show. Things you wouldn't do in your life, you do on stage. You have to let go. And that's extra hard for rappers. We have a tendency to, quote unquote, keep it real. As an actor, you have to be able to humiliate yourself. Do whatever it takes.
Quote examples
Paul Haggis
Canadian Director
Crash' came from personal experience. I saw things inside me from living in L.A. that made me uncomfortable. I saw horrible things in people and saw terrible things in myself. I saw a black director completely humiliated, but the three people around me just thought it was funny. 'No,' I said, 'that is selling your soul.
Quote examples
John Frusciante
American Musician
What really helps me is being able to record my albums at home - I have more fun experimenting that way, as opposed to working with an engineer, in which case I have to deal with the humiliation of doing take after take, and that can get frustrating.
Quote examples
Karishma Tanna
Indian Actress
Even if I don't have a successful film career, at least I am a popular name on TV. I always see the positive side of things. You do feel negative at times, and even humiliated, but if you keep thinking about that, then your life won't move forward.
Quote examples
Yelawolf
American Musician
You have to fall. You have to understand what that feels like. For what I want in my life, and for where I want to go with this music, you gotta be humiliated, man. You gotta understand what that feels like. It just makes you stronger.
Quote examples
Jim Rohn
American Businessman
The reason that fiction is more interesting than any other form of literature, to those who really like to study people, is that in fiction the author can really tell the truth without humiliating himself.
Quote examples
Greta Gerwig
American Actress
I'm all for the banalities of life and humiliation and everyday tragedies, but I also think people have big moments, and they have bigness in them.
Quote examples
Ruth Rendell
British Writer
I think about death every day - what it would be like, why it would happen to me. It would be humiliating to be afraid.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings.
Quote examples
Ben Stiller
American Comedian
I'm always willing to endure humiliation on behalf of my characters.
Quote examples
Heavy D
Jamaican Musician
There's something about being any kind of entertainer that is acting. You have to put on a show. Things you wouldn't do in your life, you do on stage. You have to let go. And that's extra hard for rappers. We have a tendency to, quote unquote, keep it real. As an actor, you have to be able to humiliate yourself. Do whatever it takes.
Quote examples
Paul Haggis
Canadian Director
Crash' came from personal experience. I saw things inside me from living in L.A. that made me uncomfortable. I saw horrible things in people and saw terrible things in myself. I saw a black director completely humiliated, but the three people around me just thought it was funny. 'No,' I said, 'that is selling your soul.
Quote examples
John Frusciante
American Musician
What really helps me is being able to record my albums at home - I have more fun experimenting that way, as opposed to working with an engineer, in which case I have to deal with the humiliation of doing take after take, and that can get frustrating.
Quote examples
Karishma Tanna
Indian Actress
Even if I don't have a successful film career, at least I am a popular name on TV. I always see the positive side of things. You do feel negative at times, and even humiliated, but if you keep thinking about that, then your life won't move forward.
Quote examples
Yelawolf
American Musician
You have to fall. You have to understand what that feels like. For what I want in my life, and for where I want to go with this music, you gotta be humiliated, man. You gotta understand what that feels like. It just makes you stronger.
Quote examples
Jim Rohn
American Businessman
The reason that fiction is more interesting than any other form of literature, to those who really like to study people, is that in fiction the author can really tell the truth without humiliating himself.
Quote examples
Greta Gerwig
American Actress
I'm all for the banalities of life and humiliation and everyday tragedies, but I also think people have big moments, and they have bigness in them.
Quote examples
Ruth Rendell
British Writer
I think about death every day - what it would be like, why it would happen to me. It would be humiliating to be afraid.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings.
Quote examples
Ben Stiller
American Comedian
I'm always willing to endure humiliation on behalf of my characters.
Example 1 of 10
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