shameless

adjective

ˈshām-ləs How to pronounce shameless (audio)
Definition of shamelessnext
1
as in unabashed
not embarrassed or ashamed she's truly shameless in the seemingly endless self-promotion of herself

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ruthless
not sorry for having done wrong a shameless exploiter of impoverished workers in overseas sweatshops

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shameless Charli’s shameless celebration of her taste comes as AI companies are promising everyone can be an artist. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 July 2026 There are numerous forces, therefore, that should compel FIFA to rein in its shameless pursuit of ticketing revenue — including the simple fact that there is less wealth in Spain, Portugal and Morocco than there is in North America. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 July 2026 Instead, graft has become even more shameless, and the sums involved are growing exponentially larger. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 July 2026 This World Cup is now a Super Bowl-like shameless money machine, and one helluva lot of fun. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shameless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shameless
  1. unabashed
  2. ruthless
  3. proud
  4. cruel
  5. unashamed
  6. unrepentant
  7. unembarrassed
Adjective
  • Defined by lavish ornamentation, geometric forms, and unabashed glamour, Art Deco is having a major revival this fall.
    — Corinne Pierre-Louis, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2026
  • For starters, Drive’s dreamy and unabashed aestheticism represented a break from the rougher, more visceral films on which Winding Refn had built his reputation.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of unabashed
Adjective
  • Sure, that sounds ridiculous for a season about rape, infidelity, mass murder, suicide, and society’s ruthless commodification of those very things.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In part, Iran’s political system and ruthless crackdown on protest has given it some insulation from the economic destruction imposed by the blockade and sanctions.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • Aduba will play Allegra Miller, a proud New Yorker fighting developers to keep her home and change her life forever.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Docking the Akira One for the last time, Nathan feels proud that his team kept it together despite being on the edge of collapse literally the entire time.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of proud
Adjective
  • The policy of sending them to a third country has been condemned as harsh and cruel.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Eight men were killed via gassing until an Alabama district judge ruled the execution method unconstitutionally cruel, in June; the Supreme Court has maintained the block.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen is an outspoken Christian who has been unashamed to share his faith and conservative thoughts.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
  • Dramatic currents, once suppressed, here bloom unashamed.
    — Russell Platt, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Definition of unashamed
Adjective
  • Some twenty thousand subscribers went with him, but Doyle was unrepentant.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The Housewife is certainly at its most potent during those earlier sequences, when Sheridan’s Lelyveld is under the mistaken impression that Hermine Ryan is the unwitting victim rather than the unrepentant perpetrator.
    — Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of unrepentant
Adjective
  • Her sincerity, combined with her slow Texas drawl, had an unembarrassed, guileless quality to it.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Wendy Eisenberg of Wendy Eisenberg is newly unafraid of love songs, or at least unembarrassed by their proclamations.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of unembarrassed

Browse Nearby Words

shameful
shameless
shamelessness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shameless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shameless. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Luddite

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All