fremdschämen

noun

A feeling of vicarious embarrassment for another.

OriginGerman Fremdschämen →
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Meanings

nounfremdschämen (uncountable)

alternative Fremdschämen

  1. informaluncountableA feeling of vicarious embarrassment for another.

    Fremdschämen—that was the name of this type of feeling.

    2022, Okwiri Oduor, Things They Lost, Simon & Shuster, page 226
    2 more examples

    Though the Fremdschämen (or even Schadenfreude) of series like Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office was the comedy trend of the 2000s, the 2010s have produced a kinder, gentler approach.

    2013, Jessica Decou, Playful, Glad and Free: Karl Barth and a Theology of Popular Culture, Fortress Press, page 205

    Perhaps it had looked down on my sad attempt at seduction and fled when overwhelmed by my fremdschämen.

    2019, Alyssa Cole, Signal Boost, Carina Press

Origin

  1. GermanFremdschämen
  2. Englishfremdschämen

Borrowed from German Fremdschämen (verb) or Fremdschämen (noun).

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

fremdschämen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fremdsch%C3%A4men

MLA

“fremdschämen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fremdsch%C3%A4men. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fremdschämen,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fremdsch%C3%A4men.

Source: fremdschämen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.