What does abash mean?
"Abash" is a transitive verb meaning to make someone feel embarrassed, ashamed, or disconcerted. If a blunt question abashes a guest, it leaves them flustered and unsure of themselves; if no criticism can abash a confident writer, nothing shakes their self-assurance. The word is relatively formal and literary in tone — everyday conversation tends to favor "embarrass" — yet it remains current, especially in the widely used forms "abashed" and its opposite, "unabashed," which describe someone who is either visibly sheepish or boldly unembarrassed. The verb typically takes a person as its object and appears frequently in passive constructions: she was not abashed by the heckling. Its history traces back through Anglo-Norman French to roots suggesting being thrown off balance or astonished, which captures the feeling well: an abashed person is momentarily knocked out of their composure. For writers seeking a precise, slightly elevated alternative to "embarrass," "abash" offers a useful and expressive choice.
verbTo cause someone to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or disconcerted.
- To cause someone to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or disconcerted.
"She was not abashed by the hostile questions and answered each one calmly."
"The sharp criticism did not abash the young composer, who continued to write exactly as she pleased."
"He looked slightly abashed when reminded that he had forgotten his own mother's birthday."
The next time you feel unabashed, you're literally declaring yourself free of shame — a word born from the Old French idea of being 'astonished' into embarrassment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abash
"Abash" entered English in the late Middle English period from the Anglo-Norman French verb "abaiss-"-type formation "abair/abaissier" meaning to astonish or confound, ultimately connected to the idea of being struck dumb or thrown into confusion. It shares this lineage with the adjective "bashful." Over time the sense narrowed from general astonishment to specifically embarrassed or ashamed discomposure, and the related form "unabashed" became a common way to describe bold, unembarrassed confidence.
Related word forms
How abash is actually used
"Abash" is a fairly formal, somewhat literary verb; in everyday speech people are more likely to say "embarrass". It is most commonly encountered in its participial adjectives "abashed" and "unabashed" than as the bare verb itself. The verb is almost always used with a person (or group) as its object, often in passive constructions such as "she was not abashed by..."
Easily confused with abash
"Bash" means to strike forcefully or a lively party, while "abash" means to make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed.