ashamed

/əˈʃeɪmd/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈʃeɪmd/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈshāmd/ (ame, mw)

ashamed — adjective

1. feeling bad and sorry because you have done something wrong, or because of a par

1.形容詞B1
釋義

feeling bad and sorry because you have done something wrong, or because of a part of your character or life you wish were different

例句

Kenji was ashamed of shouting at his younger brother during dinner.

ashamed of + -ing

I'm ashamed that I forgot my mother's birthday two years in a row.

ashamed that + clause

同義詞
  • guilty

    focuses on the inner sense of having done wrong; 'ashamed' adds the wish to hide the fact

  • remorseful

    stronger and more formal; suggests deep, lasting regret over harm caused

  • embarrassed

    milder and more social; about losing face rather than moral wrong

反義詞
  • proud

    the direct opposite — pleased rather than sorry about your actions or qualities

  • unashamed

    openly unapologetic about something others might condemn

文法句型

ashamed of + noun/-ing

ashamed to + infinitive

ashamed that + clause

用法筆記

Predicative only — say 'she felt ashamed', never 'an ashamed woman'. For an attributive form, use 'embarrassed' (e.g. 'an embarrassed silence'). Almost always followed by 'of', 'to', or 'that'; bare 'ashamed' without a complement is rare.

常見錯誤

❌She gave me an ashamed look.
✅She gave me an embarrassed look.
💡'ashamed' cannot stand before a noun; use 'embarrassed' for that position.
❌I am ashamed for my mistake.
✅I am ashamed of my mistake.
💡the standard preposition is 'of', not 'for'.

2. holding back from doing something because you would feel embarrassed or judged i

2.形容詞B2
釋義

holding back from doing something because you would feel embarrassed or judged if other people noticed you doing it

例句

Pia was ashamed to ask her teacher to repeat the question a third time.

ashamed to + infinitive (reluctance)

Anaya was ashamed to tell his parents he had failed the driving test again.

ashamed to + verb of disclosure

同義詞
  • embarrassed

    very close in meaning here, and more common in everyday speech

  • reluctant

    neutral about the reason; 'ashamed' specifies that shame is what holds you back

  • shy

    weaker; suggests general timidity rather than fear of judgment over a specific act

反義詞
  • willing

    ready to do the thing without holding back

  • proud

    happy to be seen doing the thing, not hiding it

文法句型

ashamed to + infinitive

用法筆記

Distinct from sense 1: here the person has done nothing wrong yet — shame is what stops them from acting. Almost always 'ashamed to + verb' (especially 'ask', 'admit', 'say', 'tell'). Cannot be used attributively.

常見錯誤

❌He was ashamed asking for help.
✅He was ashamed to ask for help.
💡this sense takes 'to + infinitive', not '-ing'.