mortifying

1 of 2

adjective

mor·​ti·​fy·​ing ˈmȯr-tə-ˌfī-iŋ How to pronounce mortifying (audio)
Synonyms of mortifyingnext
: causing feelings of strong shame or embarrassment
a mortifying experience
They would tell each other secrets that no one else would hear, they would discuss sex in a way that would be mortifying in other company.—Richard Flaste
mortifyingly adverb
The document deluge has offered plenty of mortifyingly frank appraisals of foreign leaders … —Hendrik Hertzberg

mortifying

2 of 2

present participle of mortify

Examples of mortifying in a Sentence

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Adjective
And then, sure enough, Tall Paul was at his husky and mortifying business. — Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026 But off the air, Brattin, Conn, and their network continued to laugh about the mortifying moment. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Aug. 2026 With his speech, Oliver joins a growing trend of professionals whose AI use is revealed in mortifying ways. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2026 Self-mortifying pamagdarame rituals, including whipping and crucifixion, likewise have roots in medieval Christian tradition. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mortifying

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mortifying was in 1833

Rhymes for mortifying

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Browse Nearby Words

mortify
mortifying
mortifyingly
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Cite this Entry

“Mortifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mortifying. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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