Top 27 Slang For Humiliation – Meaning & Usage

Humiliation can be a tough pill to swallow, but sometimes a good laugh at yourself can be just what you need to move on. Our team has scoured the depths of slang to bring you a list of the top terms for humiliation that will have you nodding in recognition or perhaps even cringing in sympathy. Get ready to dive into the world of embarrassment and discover how language can capture those awkward moments we’ve all experienced.

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1. Shame on you

This phrase is used to express strong disapproval or disappointment towards someone’s actions or behavior.

For example, if someone forgets to do their homework, a teacher might say, “Shame on you for not completing your assignment.”
A parent might use this phrase when their child misbehaves, saying, “Shame on you for lying to me.”
In a social setting, someone might say, “Shame on you for making fun of someone’s appearance.”

2. Burn

To “burn” someone means to deliver a clever or cutting insult or comeback that embarrasses or humiliates them.

For instance, if someone makes a joke at someone else’s expense, the person being targeted might respond with a burn like, “At least I’m not the one with no sense of fashion.”
In a playful argument, one person might say, “You’re so slow, it’s like you’re running in reverse.” The other person could respond with a burn like, “Well, at least I’m not the one who can’t keep up.”
During a heated debate, someone might say, “Your argument is so weak, it’s like trying to hold water with a sieve.”

3. Roast

To “roast” someone is to publicly mock or criticize them in a lighthearted or humorous way, often in front of an audience.

For example, at a comedy roast, comedians take turns making fun of a guest of honor. They might say things like, “You’re so old, your birth certificate is in Roman numerals.”
In a group of friends, one person might suggest a roast session, where they can take turns playfully mocking each other. They might say things like, “Your fashion sense is so bad, even a scarecrow wouldn’t wear your clothes.”
In a social media comment thread, someone might jokingly roast a friend by saying, “Your selfie game is so weak, I’m surprised your phone didn’t break.”

4. Own

To “own” someone is to completely humiliate or defeat them, often in a competition or argument.

For instance, if someone wins a debate against their opponent, they might say, “I totally owned you with my arguments.”
In a video game, if one player dominates another and wins by a large margin, they might say, “I owned you in that match.”
In a sports match, if one team scores multiple goals against their opponent, they might say, “We owned them on the field today.”

5. Drag

To “drag” someone is to publicly criticize or mock them harshly, often with the intention of humiliating or embarrassing them.

For example, if a celebrity makes a controversial statement, they might face backlash from the public who will drag them on social media. They might say things like, “You’re so out of touch with reality.”
In a heated argument, one person might resort to dragging the other by bringing up their past mistakes or flaws. They might say things like, “You’re such a hypocrite, remember when you did X?”
In a comedy show, a comedian might drag a heckler in the audience by making fun of their appearance or behavior.

6. Pwned

This term originated from a misspelling of “owned” and is commonly used in online gaming to indicate that one player has decisively defeated or humiliated another.

For example, “I just pwned that noob in Call of Duty.”
In a discussion about competitive gaming, someone might say, “He got completely pwned in the tournament.”
A player might boast, “I pwned all my opponents and came out on top.”

7. Facepalm

This term is used to describe the action of slapping one’s forehead with the palm of the hand in response to something foolish or embarrassing.

For instance, “When he told that joke, I couldn’t help but facepalm.”
In a discussion about cringe-worthy moments, someone might say, “I facepalmed when I realized I had been wearing my shirt inside out all day.”
A person might comment, “Every time I see someone make that mistake, I just have to facepalm.”

8. Trolled

This term refers to the act of deliberately provoking or annoying someone online for one’s own amusement.

For example, “He trolled the forums by posting controversial statements.”
In a discussion about online behavior, someone might say, “Don’t feed the trolls – they’re just looking for a reaction.”
A person might warn, “Be careful not to get caught up in online arguments with trolls.”

9. Schooled

This term is used to describe being defeated or outperformed in a way that highlights one’s lack of knowledge or skill in a particular area.

For instance, “He got schooled in the debate – his opponent had all the facts.”
In a discussion about sports, someone might say, “The rookie quarterback got schooled by the experienced defense.”
A person might comment, “I thought I was good at chess until I got schooled by a grandmaster.”

10. Zinged

This term is used to describe being mocked or insulted in a quick and witty manner, often in a way that catches the recipient off guard.

For example, “She zinged him with a clever comeback.”
In a discussion about comedy, someone might say, “The comedian had the audience in stitches with his zinging one-liners.”
A person might recount, “I was zinged by my friend during a lighthearted banter.”

11. Curve

To “curve” someone means to reject or dismiss them romantically. It is often used when someone is not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with another person.

For example, “I tried to ask her out, but she curved me.”
A person might say, “He’s been curving me for weeks, I guess he’s not interested.”
In a conversation about dating, someone might ask, “Have you ever been curved before?”

12. Expose

To “expose” someone means to reveal their secrets or embarrassing information, often in a public or humiliating way. It can refer to sharing personal information or uncovering someone’s dishonesty or wrongdoing.

For instance, “She exposed his cheating by sharing the text messages.”
In a discussion about scandals, someone might say, “The journalist exposed the corrupt politician.”
A person might caution, “Be careful what you share online, someone could expose your private information.”

13. Front

To “front” means to pretend to be someone you’re not, usually to impress others or gain social status. It can involve putting on a false persona or exaggerating one’s qualities or accomplishments.

For example, “He’s always fronting like he’s rich, but he’s actually broke.”
In a conversation about social media, someone might say, “People often front on Instagram, only showing the highlight reel of their lives.”
A person might comment, “She’s fronting like she’s a big shot, but she’s just an intern.”

14. Gaslight

To “gaslight” someone means to manipulate them into doubting their own sanity or perception of reality. It involves psychological manipulation tactics aimed at making someone question their memory, perception, or sanity.

For instance, “He would constantly gaslight her, making her doubt her own experiences.”
In a discussion about toxic relationships, someone might say, “Gaslighting is a common tactic used by emotional abusers.”
A person might warn, “Be careful of gaslighting behaviors, they can be incredibly damaging to your mental health.”

15. Ice out

To “ice out” someone means to exclude or ignore them, often as a form of punishment or social rejection. It can involve intentionally avoiding or refusing to interact with someone.

For example, “After the argument, they decided to ice him out and not invite him to their gatherings.”
In a conversation about friendship, someone might say, “She iced me out after I confronted her about her behavior.”
A person might comment, “Being iced out by your friends can be incredibly hurtful and isolating.”

16. Joke’s on you

This phrase is used to convey that someone has been tricked or made a fool of in a particular situation.

For example, if someone plays a prank on you and you realize it later, you might say, “Well, joke’s on you!”
In a friendly banter, someone might say, “I bet you can’t solve this puzzle.” If you solve it easily, you can respond with, “Joke’s on you, I’m a puzzle genius!”
If someone tries to mock your outfit but you receive compliments instead, you can say, “Joke’s on you, everyone loves my style!”

17. Low blow

This term is used to describe an insult or action that goes beyond the boundaries of acceptable behavior and causes significant emotional pain or humiliation.

For instance, if someone makes a personal attack on your insecurities, you might say, “That was a low blow.”
During an argument, if someone brings up a sensitive topic to hurt you intentionally, you can respond with, “That’s a low blow, you know I’m sensitive about that.”
If someone tries to embarrass you in public by revealing a personal secret, you can say, “Wow, that was a low blow. I trusted you with that information.”

18. Shade

This term is used to describe a form of insult or criticism that is delivered indirectly or subtly, often with the intention of undermining or humiliating the person being targeted.

For example, if someone makes a sarcastic comment about your appearance, you can say, “That’s some serious shade.”
During a heated argument, if someone mocks your achievements in a condescending way, you can respond with, “Enough with the shade, let’s stick to the topic.”
If someone tries to undermine your work by making passive-aggressive comments, you can say, “I see what you’re doing, throwing shade won’t change the fact that I did a great job.”

19. Snub

This term is used to describe the act of intentionally ignoring or rejecting someone in a way that causes them embarrassment or humiliation.

For instance, if someone tries to start a conversation with you but you completely ignore them, it can be considered a snub.
If someone invites you to a party and you decline without any explanation, it can be seen as a snub.
If someone tries to shake your hand and you purposefully turn away, it can be interpreted as a snub.

20. Trash talk

This term is used to describe the act of engaging in insulting or derisive comments about someone, often in a competitive or confrontational context, with the intention of belittling or humiliating them.

For example, in a sports match, players might engage in trash talk to intimidate their opponents.
During a friendly debate, if someone starts making personal attacks to undermine your argument, they are resorting to trash talk.
If someone constantly mocks your skills or abilities to make themselves feel superior, they are engaging in trash talk.

21. Wig

When someone is so surprised that their metaphorical wig is knocked off.

For example, “I can’t believe she won the competition. My wig is snatched!”
Another example, “That plot twist in the movie had me wigging out.”
Someone might say, “Her performance was so amazing, it wigged me out!”

22. Zing

When someone delivers a quick and sharp insult or comeback.

For instance, “He zinged me with that sarcastic comment.”
In a friendly banter, one might say, “Nice zing! You got me.”
A comedian might use a zing to get a laugh from the audience.

23. Clap back

When someone fires back at an insult or criticism with a witty or clever comeback.

For example, “She really knows how to clap back at her haters.”
In a heated argument, one might say, “I’m not afraid to clap back at you!”
A celebrity might use social media to clap back at negative comments or rumors.

24. Gag

When something is so funny that it causes a person to burst into laughter.

For instance, “That joke had me gagging with laughter.”
In a comedy show, someone might say, “The comedian had the whole audience gagging.”
A friend might share a funny video and say, “This will make you gag!”

25. Clapback

Similar to a clap back, a clapback refers specifically to the response itself, which is usually witty or clever.

For example, “Her clapback shut down the haters.”
In an online argument, one might say, “That was a perfect clapback!”
A celebrity might receive praise for their epic clapbacks on social media.

26. Epic fail

This term is used to describe a particularly embarrassing or disastrous failure. It is often used humorously to mock someone’s mistake or blunder.

For example, “I tried to do a backflip off the diving board, but I landed on my face. Epic fail!”
In a video game, a player might say, “I fell off the map again. Epic fail.”
Someone might comment on a social media post, “Your attempt at cooking looks like an epic fail.”

27. Humblebrag

A “humblebrag” is a form of boasting or bragging disguised as a humble statement. It is often used to subtly draw attention to one’s achievements or positive attributes.

For example, if someone says, “Ugh, I hate it when I’m so busy with work that I can’t even take a vacation,” they are humblebragging about their successful career.
In a conversation about accomplishments, someone might say, “I don’t mean to humblebrag, but I just won an award for my research.”
A person might post a picture of their messy house and write, “Just a humblebrag about how busy my life is right now.”