MORTIFYING

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does mortifying mean? 

• MORTIFYING (adjective)
  The adjective MORTIFYING has 2 senses:

1. causing to feel shame or chagrin or vexation

2. causing awareness of your shortcomings

  Familiarity information: MORTIFYING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MORTIFYING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Causing to feel shame or chagrin or vexation

Synonyms:

embarrassing; mortifying

Context example:

it was mortifying to know he had heard every word

Similar:

unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Causing awareness of your shortcomings

Synonyms:

demeaning; humbling; humiliating; mortifying

Context example:

golf is a humbling game

Similar:

undignified (lacking dignity)

 Context examples 

William had wanted to buy her a gold chain too, but the purchase had been beyond his means, and therefore not to wear the cross might be mortifying him.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

“Udolpho was written by Mrs. Radcliffe,” said Catherine, with some hesitation, from the fear of mortifying him.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

How mortifying to feel that it was so!

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

They were the most mortifying sight I ever beheld; and the women more horrible than the men.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

We had got well out on the country road, when a somewhat mortifying incident occurred.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Now if there is anything mortifying to our feelings when we are young, it is to be told that, and to be bidden to "run away, dear" is still more trying to us.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

This, spoken in a cool, tranquil tone, was mortifying and baffling enough.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

It is, in fact, a most mortifying retrospect for me.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

That her sister's affections WERE calm, she dared not deny, though she blushed to acknowledge it; and of the strength of her own, she gave a very striking proof, by still loving and respecting that sister, in spite of this mortifying conviction.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)