humiliate
/hjuːˈmɪlieɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /hjuːˈmɪlieɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /hyü-ˈmi-lē-ˌāt yü-/ (ame, mw)
humiliate — verb
- humiliatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- humiliateshe / she / it
- humiliatedpast simple
- humiliating-ing form
1. to deliberately do or say something that makes another person feel deeply embarr
to deliberately do or say something that makes another person feel deeply embarrassed, foolish, or worthless, especially when other people are watching or listening
The coach humiliated Theo by making him run laps in front of the team.
active: humiliate + someone + by + doing something
Leila felt humiliated when her boss read her private email out loud at the meeting.
No one should ever humiliate a classmate for making a mistake during a presentation.
The politician tried to humiliate his opponent by bringing up old personal problems.
Ravi was so humiliated by his brother's jokes that he left the dinner table.
- embarrass
milder and often accidental; humiliate implies deliberate intent and deeper shame
- shame
carries moral weight, implying wrongdoing; humiliate focuses on loss of dignity
- mortify
formal register; suggests acute, almost painful embarrassment
- degrade
focuses on lowering rank or treating someone as inferior
文法句型
humiliate + someone
humiliate + someone + by + -ing
be humiliated + by + someone
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be humiliated). The active form usually describes a deliberate act, while the passive focuses on the victim's emotional experience. Often followed by by (the agent), for (the reason), or in front of (the audience).