mortified

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mortified" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express extreme embarrassment or shame in a situation. Example: "I was mortified when I realized I had forgotten my best friend's birthday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

My mother, born and raised in Ghana, was mortified.

The Guardian

Organisers of the One Young World summit, an annual gathering of "the brightest young people from around the world" being staged in Africa for the first time, were visibly mortified.

The Guardian

When I mentioned her name, the receptionist looked mortified.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But the winner of this particularly unedifying battle has to be Andrew Strauss, who thought Sky had turned the microphones off before Nick Knight asked for his opinion of Kevin Pietersen and declared himself "mortified and profusely sorry" after his explicit response was broadcast worldwide.

The Guardian - Sport

Yet of the 3,000 people who visited the gallery during the experiment, the majority are likely to be left mortified by the unveiling of the fake – only 10% guessed correctly.

The Guardian - Arts

So we learned of Miliband shutting himself in a hotel room, mortified by his failure to remember the bit about the deficit in his speech to last autumn's Labour party conference.

The Guardian - Opinion

He wrote to staff that he was mortified by the way in which some of his comments were misinterpreted.

The Guardian - Business

"Put it in the carton!" Jean is mortified.

The Guardian - Film

All of these people are serious-minded, passionately devoted to the BBC's core values and are probably mortified that it ended up celebrating Savile's career.

The Guardian - Opinion

Earlier this week, one major critic confided in me that he was mortified to have skipped My Joy, because he was now hearing good things about it and was terrified it might win the Palme d'Or, and then where would that leave him?

The Guardian - Film

See articlePakistanis and cricket-lovers were mortified after a newspaper sting appeared to show members of the Pakistani test side agreeing, through an agent, to rig parts of a game against England in exchange for £150,000 ($230,000).

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mortified" to convey a strong sense of embarrassment or shame, often resulting from a social faux pas or personal failing. It is stronger than simply "embarrassed".

Common error

Avoid using "mortified" in situations that only warrant mild embarrassment. Save it for moments of genuine shame or intense humiliation, otherwise it might sound exaggerated or insincere.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "mortified" is as an adjective, typically used to describe someone's feeling of extreme embarrassment or shame. As Ludwig AI shows, it often follows verbs like 'was' or 'looked', indicating a state of being.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Encyclopedias

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Reference

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mortified" is a very common adjective used to express a strong sense of embarrassment or shame. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently appears in news and media, encyclopedias, and formal business contexts. While it's important to use "mortified" accurately, employing it judiciously will help you communicate effectively when describing experiences involving intense feelings of humiliation. When a less intense term is needed, alternatives like "embarrassed" or "ashamed" can be used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utterly humiliated

Highlights the feeling of being lowered in dignity or pride.

profoundly humiliated

Similar to "utterly humiliated" but with a slightly different nuance.

deeply ashamed

Emphasizes the feeling of shame more strongly than "mortified".

intensely ashamed

Stronger emphasis on the feeling of shame, similar to "deeply ashamed".

acutely embarrassed

Highlights the sharp, intense feeling of embarrassment.

extremely embarrassed

A more common and less intense way to express a similar feeling.

awfully embarrassed

A less formal alternative to "mortified", conveying a similar level of discomfort.

incredibly chagrined

A more formal and somewhat archaic term for feeling distressed or humiliated.

completely crestfallen

Focuses on the disappointment and dejection resulting from a humiliating situation.

terribly remorseful

Highlights the regret and guilt associated with a shameful act.

FAQs

How do you use "mortified" in a sentence?

"Mortified" is used to describe the feeling of extreme embarrassment or shame. For example, "I was mortified when I tripped and fell in front of everyone".

What can I say instead of "mortified"?

You can use alternatives like "humiliated", "ashamed", or "embarrassed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "mortified" or "very embarrassed"?

"Mortified" and "very embarrassed" are both correct, but "mortified" implies a stronger feeling of shame and humiliation than "very embarrassed".

What's the difference between "mortified" and "humiliated"?

"Mortified" generally refers to a feeling of extreme embarrassment, while "humiliated" suggests a feeling of being lowered in dignity or pride. They are similar but not always interchangeable.