mortify

verb

ˈmȯr-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce mortify (audio)
Definition of mortifynext
as in to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress was mortified by her children's atrocious manners

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mortify As someone who attended rabbinical school just six blocks away, who took that same walk for five years, I was mortified. — Rabbi David Baum, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2026 This time round, Starr’s mortified co-stars included Yul Brynner, who made an uncredited appearance as a transvestite cabaret singer. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026 Substitute in those that reverberate deeply with you, those you would be mortified to let down and elated to make proud. — Literary Hub, 6 May 2026 Just last year, the Trust for Public Land scored the city way down at 90th out of 100 cities, the kind of mortifying ranking usually occupied in other categories by Mississippi (sorry, Mississippi). — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mortify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mortify
  1. embarrass
  2. confuse
Verb
  • Reese said the exercise left her upset with Smesko and worried about embarrassing herself in front of the team.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Over two games in Tampa, the Rays had embarrassed the Yankees – nearly no hitting them in Game 1 and putting the ball in play and watching the errors ensue in Game 2.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of embarrass
Verb
  • Dealing with the British, his Tenzing is scrupulous and honorable, but don’t confuse that with subservience.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Decoys, which carry no explosives, help confuse Russian air defenses and force them to waste ammunition.
    — Jarrett Ley, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse

Browse Nearby Words

mortifies
mortify
mortifying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mortify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mortify. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All