"mortified"

[EmmaH2022]

Genuine question
Has the meaning of this word changed? I am hearing people use it where I'd use shocked or horrified.

To me, it means very embarrassed.

Here's an example that confuses me

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-37560744

Sarah shouldn't be mortified. She is not responsible for it.

[quote gelatodipistacchio]@EmmaH2022 this is a relief. I thought I was going to be laughed straight out of pedant's corner![/quote]
No, that would be me

Luckily I'm so amused the lamb story took place in Ramsbottom, I'm not too bothered

www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/tesco-30-leg-lamb-leaves-6538655

That's brilliant!

@Clymene

Yes I agree. I'm embarrassed for her. She should be absolutely mortified

Seriously though, you'd think the journalist would say 'erm do you mean you're really embarrassed?' so that she could clarify rather than using it in a massive headline which will leave a lot of people confused.

@OperationRinka

I've seen it misused on MN, I think it's a widely misunderstood word, but I'd have expected BBC journalists to have known what it meant and not put the interviewee's misusage front and centre in a headline.

Haha, yeah. It's a head-scratcher for sure