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PlainSpell

shame

/ˈʃeɪ̯m/noun, interjection, adjective, verb

shame is spelled S-H-A-M-E: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 35 times per million words in written English, the 2,725th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, shame means “An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of shame is shames.

How many letters and syllables are in shame?

Letters5: S-H-A-M-E
Syllables1
In writing35 times per million words; the 2,725th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Same letters

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is shame?

Shame appears 35 times per million words in written English, the 2,725th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce shame?

  • /ˈʃeɪ̯m/
  • [ˈʃeɪ̯m]
  • Australia /ˈʃæɪ̯m/

Shame has one syllable.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-shame.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with shame?

No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as shame.

Spelled with the same letters in another order: hames.

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of shame

  • shames plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • more shame comparative
  • most shame superlative
  • shaming participle, present
  • shamed participle, past, singular, he/she/it, plural

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does shame mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should have been kept private.

    When I realized that I had hurt my friend, I felt deep shame.

  2. 2

    Something to regret.

    It was a shame not to see the show after driving all that way.

  3. 3

    Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonour; ignominy; derision.

  4. 4

    The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach and ignominy.

  5. 5

    That which is shameful and private, especially private parts.

  6. 6

    The capacity to be ashamed, inhibiting one from brazen behaviour; due regard for one's own moral conduct and how one is perceived by others; restraint, moderation, decency.

    Don't you have any shame?

interjection

  1. 1

    A cry of admonition for the subject of a speech, either to denounce the speaker or to agree with the speaker's denunciation of some person or matter; often used reduplicated, especially in political debates.

  2. 2

    Ellipsis of what a shame; expressing disappointment or sympathy

    Shame, you poor thing, you must be cold!

adjective

  1. 1

    Embarrassed and shy, particularly because one is the subject of attention.

  2. 2

    Causing embarrassment or shyness.

verb

  1. 1

    To cause to feel shame.

    I was shamed by the teacher's public disapproval.

  2. 2

    To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace.

  3. 3

    To denounce as having done something shameful; to criticize with the intent or effect of causing a feeling of shame.

    Stop shaming others about their food choices.

  4. 4

    To drive or compel by shame.

    The politician was shamed into resigning.

  5. 5

    obsoleteTo feel shame, be ashamed.

  6. 6

    obsoleteTo mock at; to deride.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Shame in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchhonte (uncomfortable or painful feeling), dommage (something to regret), honnir (to cover with reproach or ignominy – see also…)
GermanScham, Schande (uncomfortable or painful feeling), beschämen (to cause to feel shame)
Portuguesevergonha (uncomfortable or painful feeling), envergonhar (to cause to feel shame)
Spanishacholo, acholamiento (uncomfortable or painful feeling), lástima (something to regret), zaherir (to cause to feel shame), vergüenzas (that which is shameful and private, especially…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does shame come from?

From Middle English schame, from Old English sċamu, from Proto-West Germanic *skamu, from Proto-Germanic *skamō.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after shame