humiliation

/hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: humiliations

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The act of humiliating or humbling someone; abasement of pride; mortification.

Noun

Examples

Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The state of being humiliated, humbled or reduced to lowliness or submission.

Noun

Examples

Loving and beloved by him, how different would her destiny have been! An utter sense of desolation came over her; a terror of the future, an overwhelming agony in the present. That he, of all others, should be the one to witness her humiliation!

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “humiliation” mean?

The act of humiliating or humbling someone; abasement of pride; mortification.

Is “humiliation” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.