Ignominious describes a defeat, failure, or situation so humiliating that it damages someone's reputation or dignity. When a champion chess player makes a careless mistake and loses in just four moves, that's an ignominious defeat. When a carefully planned surprise party turns into a disaster because someone accidentally reveals the secret, it ends in ignominious failure.

The word carries a sense of public shame or disgrace. An ignominious loss is embarrassing and dishonorable, especially when others witness it. A team that loses fairly in a close game simply lost. But a team that quits mid-game or gets caught cheating suffers an ignominious outcome because their behavior was dishonorable.

History remembers ignominious moments because they're so striking. Benedict Arnold's betrayal during the American Revolution earned him an ignominious place in history. When you see ignominious, think of failures or defeats that come with a heavy dose of shame or dishonor attached.