indignity

noun

in·​dig·​ni·​ty in-ˈdig-nə-tē How to pronounce indignity (audio)
plural indignities
1
a
: an act that offends against a person's dignity or self-respect : insult
b
: humiliating treatment
2
obsolete : lack or loss of dignity or honor

Examples of indignity in a Sentence

He remembers all the indignities he had to suffer in the early years of his career. We must endure the indignities of growing old. He suffered the indignity of being forced to leave the courtroom. The indignity of it all was too much to bear.
Recent Examples on the Web When her son, Julien, blabbed about Debbie’s crazy, on-screen breakup with her new beau, the Georgia native admitted to holding some indignity over the 43-year age gap relationship. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Even then, who but Giamatti could use his face to travel from indignity to indignation with a mere narrowing of the eyes, from resting to rage? Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024 The delegation from Israel was also outraged by a shocking indignity immediately after the interview outside Central Synagogue in Manhattan. Kerry J. Byrne Fox News, Fox News, 26 Nov. 2023 So one of them keeps a tongue as an act of reverence and kindness to the body that is still going to go through a lot of indignities. Kate Aurthur, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024 In your place, your fellow traveler, who is evidently stockpiling indignities, would no doubt have filed separate charges for each specific insult — without waiting to think of them on the staircase. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Jan. 2024 Podcasting’s brutal year, which has seen the young medium rocked by volatile media economics and the bill for the past few years’ worth of corporate consolidation coming due, isn’t quite finished doling out its indignities. Heavyweight Down, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2023 Apartheid resulted in deep poverty and indignity for Black communities, quickly generating anti-apartheid social movements that South African police tried to violently suppress. Benjamin Case, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2024 But the money was conditioned on the Philippines accepting the indignities of the Bell Trade Act, which perpetuated key aspects of the colonial arrangement. Peter S. Goodman Jes Aznar, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indignity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin indignitat-, indignitas, from indignus

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of indignity was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near indignity

Cite this Entry

“Indignity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indignity. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

indignity

noun
in·​dig·​ni·​ty in-ˈdig-nət-ē How to pronounce indignity (audio)
plural indignities
1
: an act that injures a person's dignity or self-respect : insult
2
: humiliating treatment

Legal Definition

indignity

noun
in·​dig·​ni·​ty in-ˈdig-nə-tē How to pronounce indignity (audio)
plural indignities
: persistent and intolerable behavior toward a spouse especially as a manifestation of settled estrangement

More from Merriam-Webster on indignity

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