Humiliation is the painful feeling of being made to look foolish, worthless, or ashamed in front of others. When someone experiences humiliation, they feel their dignity has been stripped away, often publicly. A student might feel humiliated if a teacher scolds them harshly in front of the whole class, or if classmates laugh at them for giving a wrong answer.

Humiliation goes deeper than simple embarrassment. When you're embarrassed, you might feel awkward about tripping in the hallway. But humiliation involves feeling degraded or treated as less than human. It often comes from someone deliberately trying to make another person feel small or powerless.

The verb form is humiliate. A bully might try to humiliate someone by mocking their clothes or abilities. Teachers, coaches, and leaders can correct mistakes without humiliating people, and respectful correction helps people learn and grow, while public shaming destroys confidence and trust.

The feeling of humiliation can be so intense that people remember it for years, which is why treating others with dignity matters.