# shame

> English word · Noun · IPA /ʃeɪm/ · frequency rank #2,761

## Definitions
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.
2. Something to regret.
3. Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonour; ignominy; derision.
4. The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach and ignominy.
5. That which is shameful and private, especially private parts.
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.

## Etymology
From Middle English schame, from Old English sċamu, from Proto-Germanic *skamō.
Cognates
*German Scham (“shame”)
*German Low German Schaam (“shame, shamefacedness”)
*Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish skam (“shame”)
*Faroese skomm (“shame, dishonour”)
*Icelandic skömm (“shame”)
*Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌼𐌰 (skama, “shame”).

## Easily confused with
- **she** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-she)
- **SME** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-sme)
- **some** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-some)
- **shoe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shoe)
- **shaw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shaw)
- **spam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-spam)
- **slam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-slam)
- **swam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-swam)
- **shan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shan)
- **shay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shay)
- **Siam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-siam)
- **shat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shat)
- **Shem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shem)
- **shim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shim)
- **state** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-state)
- **space** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-space)
- **share** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-share)
- **stage** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-stage)
- **shape** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-shape)
- **sharp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shame-vs-sharp)

## Common misspellings (7)
`hsame`, `sahme`, `shaem`, `shamme`, `shhame`, `shmae`, `sshame`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shame