Ignoble means lacking honor, dignity, or moral character. When someone acts in an ignoble way, they're being dishonorable, often putting their own interests ahead of doing what's right. An ignoble action is one that shows cowardice, selfishness, or dishonesty.

Think of a student who sees someone being bullied but walks away to avoid getting involved. That's an ignoble choice. Or imagine a team captain who blames teammates for a loss instead of taking responsibility: that's ignoble leadership.

The word comes from the same root as “noble,” which originally described people of high birth or rank, but came to mean honorable and dignified in character. Ignoble is the opposite: it describes behavior that falls short of what people might expect from someone with integrity.

An ignoble defeat might involve giving up without even trying, while an ignoble motive might be trying to win by breaking the rules instead of competing fairly. The word doesn't just mean bad or wrong: it specifically points to actions that show a lack of courage, honor, or self-respect.