family shame
Clan's dark secret
Family shame is disgrace that reflects on an entire family rather than just the individual who caused it.
The concept is stronger in cultures where family honor is collective—one member's failure, scandal, or misconduct taints everyone: His arrest brought family shame that lasted for generations.
A person can also be called the family shame: Uncle Lou was the family shame—we didn't talk about him.
- disgraceLoss of honor
- fall from graceLoss of status or reputation
- dishonorLoss of respect
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
- dirty laundryEmbarrassing private matters
humiliation · embarrassment · skeleton in the closet · secret · whispers · hush hush · reputation · save face · ancestors · legacy · disown · cast out · outcast · black sheep · taboo · silence · guilt · honor
- family dramasibling rivalry, kinship, parent-child, inheritance, estrangement
- social stigmastigma, stigmatized, disgrace, dishonor, outcast
- storiesstory, tale, tales, myth, legend
- disgracedishonor, disgrace, downfall, stigma, scandal
family shamefamily honor
Collective reputation of relatives
point of pride · badge of honor · family legacy · noble heritage · crowning glory
family shamefamily blessing
Favor invoked upon kin
badge of honor · bragging rights · point of pride · family celebration · crowning glory
family, shame, families, familial, familiar, familiarity, familiarize, shamed, shaming