rhizoverbBeta
DictionarystigmaSocial disgrace
noun

stigma

STIG-muh/ˈstɪɡmə/

Shame or disapproval attached to someone or something.

The stigma of addiction keeps many people from seeking help.

A sober social scene: one ordinary white adult isolated on a bench while others turn away with disapproving body language, no stereotypes or visible condition.
Etymology
stigmaGreekpuncture, tattoo-mark, brand

Greek stigma was a puncture, tattoo, or brand. English extended the visible mark burned into skin to an invisible mark of disgrace attached to a person or condition.

In context

The Problem With Jon Stewart0:36
the stigma is real but I think the stigma, and the internal shame, and the internal stigma is even more pronounced.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Prison Reform and Ending Mass Incarceration | The Problem with Jon Stewart

More examples

  • She challenges the stigma attached to receiving public assistance.
  • There is less stigma around divorce than there once was.
  • These social stigmas can make people feel isolated.

Forms

stigma · stigmas

stigmatize verb — To treat someone as shameful or unacceptable.

Similar words

shame
Often describes an internal feeling rather than society's negative judgment.
disgrace
Emphasizes loss of respect, often following a specific action.
disapproval
Expresses negative judgment without necessarily implying a lasting social label.