humiliate
Make someone cringe
To humiliate someone is to make them feel ashamed or foolish, often publicly.
The act attacks their dignity or self-respect: He humiliated her in front of the whole office.
Humiliation can be deliberate cruelty or an unintended consequence: Losing so badly humiliated the team.
The feeling lingers—humiliation cuts deeper than mere embarrassment.
Cause severe embarrassment
- disgraceLoss of honor
- embarrassCause social discomfort
- degradeLower in standing
- abaseTo lower in standing
chagrin · dishonor · discomfiture · ignominy · indignity · loss of face · shamefacedness · degradation
Instill fear to control
- harassPersistently torment someone
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- persecuteHarass cruelly, persistently
- victimizeHarm someone deliberately
browbeat · hound · badger · cow · tyrannize · pick on · target · abuse
Contemptuous mocking treatment
- tauntInsulting provocation
- jeerVocal expression of scorn
- sneerScornful expression
- derideMock with contempt
scorn · lampoon · razz · roast · heckle · gibe · tease · satirize
Cause severe embarrassment
- blushFacial reddening from emotion
- red-facedShowing visible embarrassment
- flusteredNervously upset and confused
- cringeShrink from discomfort
awkwardness · discomfort · sheepish · squirm · wince · stammer · self-conscious · discomfiture
Deliberate public insult
- slightMinor or thin
- snubDeliberate dismissive rejection
- offendCause hurt feelings
- disrespectLack of regard
disparage · slur · rebuff · denigrate · cut · spurn · dismiss · put down
mortify
Cause severe embarrassment
abase · chagrin · dishonor · discomfiture · ignominy · indignity · loss of face · shamefacedness · degradation · debase
intimidate
Instill fear to control
- harassPersistently torment someone
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- persecuteHarass cruelly, persistently
victimize · browbeat · hound · badger · cow · tyrannize · pick on · target · abuse · oppress
ridicule
Contemptuous mocking treatment
deride · scorn · lampoon · razz · roast · heckle · gibe · tease · satirize · parody
mortify
Cause severe embarrassment
- blushFacial reddening from emotion
- red-facedShowing visible embarrassment
- flusteredNervously upset and confused
cringe · awkwardness · discomfort · sheepish · squirm · wince · stammer · self-conscious · discomfiture · expose
affront
Deliberate public insult
disrespect · disparage · slur · rebuff · denigrate · cut · spurn · dismiss · put down · wound
brand
Company's product line name
blemish · scar · ostracize · outcast · marginalize · label · blacklist · shun · pariah · shame
subjugate
Bring under dominion
trounce · defeat · conquer · dominate · rout · demolish · destroy · annihilate · thrash · wallop
- embarrassmentembarrassed, blush, mortify, mortified, ashamed
- degradebelittle, demean, degrade, debase, diminish
- contemptcontempt, scorn, disdain, despise, derision
- lord it overboss around, bully, intimidate, dominate, oppress
- tauntstaunts, taunt, taunting, neener neener, insults
- teasingtease, teasing, rib, ribbing, josh
- public humiliationDeliberate degradation before witnesses
- online humiliationPublic degradation via internet
humiliation, humiliated, humiliating, humiliates, humiliator, humiliations, humiliators