disgrace

1 of 2

verb

dis·​grace di-ˈskrās How to pronounce disgrace (audio)
dis-ˈgrās
disgraced; disgracing; disgraces

transitive verb

1
: to be a source of shame to
Your actions disgraced the family.
2
: to cause to lose favor (see favor entry 1 sense 1a(2)) or standing
was disgraced by the hint of scandal
3
archaic : to humiliate by a superior showing
thy whiteness … shall disgrace the swanRobert Browning
disgracer noun

disgrace

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the condition of one fallen from grace : the condition of one who has lost honor (see honor entry 1 sense 1a)
left in disgrace
b
: loss of grace, favor, or honor
brought disgrace upon the family
2
: a source of shame
Your manners are a disgrace.
He's a disgrace to the profession.
Choose the Right Synonym for disgrace

disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, infamy, ignominy mean the state or condition of suffering loss of esteem and of enduring reproach.

disgrace often implies humiliation and sometimes ostracism.

sent home in disgrace

dishonor emphasizes the loss of honor that one has enjoyed or the loss of self-esteem.

preferred death to life with dishonor

disrepute stresses loss of one's good name or the acquiring of a bad reputation.

a once proud name fallen into disrepute

infamy usually implies notoriety as well as exceeding shame.

a day that lives in infamy

ignominy stresses humiliation.

the ignominy of being arrested

Examples of disgrace in a Sentence

Verb Many feel that the mayor has disgraced the town government by accepting personal favors from local businesspeople. He felt he had disgraced himself by failing at school. Noun The secret was protected out of a fear of political disgrace. Many feel that the mayor has brought disgrace upon the town. She was forced to leave in disgrace. His table manners are a disgrace. The health-care system is a national disgrace.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Some former generals involved in martial law decades ago had ended up in prison and been publicly disgraced. Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2025 That until such monsters and secret policemen and fantasists of apartheid, are as abandoned and disgraced as the National Socialists, there will be war. Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
He’s fired in disgrace from his cushy job, all while grappling with his recent divorce. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025 Listen to this article A major with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office who took the helm of the Kissimmee Police Department after its chief resigned in disgrace has left to make way for an acting chief: longtime Deputy Chief Wilson Muñoz. Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disgrace

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle French, from Old Italian disgrazia, from dis- (from Latin) + grazia grace, from Latin gratia — more at grace

First Known Use

Verb

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of disgrace was in 1580

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disgrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disgrace. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

disgrace

1 of 2 verb
dis·​grace dis-ˈgrās How to pronounce disgrace (audio)
disgraced; disgracing
: to bring shame to
disgracer noun

disgrace

2 of 2 noun
1
: the condition of being looked down on : loss of respect
in disgrace with one's schoolmates
2
: dishonor entry 1 sense 1, shame
the disgrace of being a coward
3
: a cause of shame
that person's manners are a disgrace
disgraceful
dis-ˈgrās-fəl
adjective
disgracefully
-fə-lē
adverb
disgracefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on disgrace

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