1
a
: feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
She felt ashamed for hitting her brother.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Losing is nothing to be ashamed of.
He was deeply ashamed of his behavior.
b
: feeling inferior or unworthy
2
: reluctant or unwilling to do something because of shame or embarrassment
I was ashamed to be seen with him.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't know the answer.
Examples of ashamed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many of her songs feature lyrics about embracing her own bisexuality or feeling spurned by women ashamed of theirs.
—
Shaad D’souza, New York Times, 22 May 2024
Because of a lack of information and awareness, women can feel embarrassed and ashamed.
—Jenn Davis, Baltimore Sun, 12 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for ashamed 
Shaad D’souza, New York Times, 22 May 2024
Because of a lack of information and awareness, women can feel embarrassed and ashamed.
—Jenn Davis, Baltimore Sun, 12 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for ashamed
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ashamed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ashamed
Cite this Entry
“Ashamed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ashamed. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ashamed
adjective1
: feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
ashamed of my behavior
2
: kept from doing something by an expectation of shame
ashamed to beg
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