embarrass

[ em-bar-uhs ]

verb (used with object)

1. to cause confusion and shame to; make uncomfortably self-conscious; disconcert; abash:

   His bad table manners embarrassed her.

   Synonyms: chagrin, discomfit, discompose

2. to make difficult or intricate, as a question or problem; complicate.
3. to put obstacles or difficulties in the way of; impede:

   The motion was advanced in order to embarrass the progress of the bill.

   Synonyms: hinder, hamper

4. to beset with financial difficulties; burden with debt:

   The decline in sales embarrassed the company.

verb (used without object)

1. to become disconcerted, abashed, or confused.

embarrass

/ ɪmˈbærəs /

verb

1. also intr to feel or cause to feel confusion or self-consciousness; disconcert; fluster
2. usually passive to involve in financial difficulties
3. archaic.
   to make difficult; complicate
4. archaic.
   to impede; obstruct; hamper

Derived Forms

• emˈbarrassedly, adverb
• emˈbarrassed, adjective

Other Words From

• em·bar·rassed·ly [em-, bar, -, uh, st-lee, -, uh, -sid-lee], adverb
• em·barrass·ing·ly adverb
• preem·barrass verb (used with object)
• unem·barrassed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of embarrass¹

1665–75; < French embarrasser < Spanish embarazar < Portuguese embaraçar, equivalent to em- em- ¹ + -baraçar, verbal derivative of baraço, baraça cord, strap, noose (of obscure origin)

Word History and Origins

Origin of embarrass¹

C17: (in the sense: to impede): via French and Spanish from Italian imbarrazzare, from imbarrare to confine within bars; see en- ¹, bar ¹

Synonym Study

See confuse.

Example Sentences

“I wanted my daughter to know that he couldn’t get away with that. I was so happy that people understood that I was a mother that was defending my child. Because I never want to do anything to embarrass Keke ever.”

From Los Angeles Times

"I don't want to embarrass this young lady," he told the audience.

From BBC

Watergate originally sprang from Nixon’s vendetta against Daniel Ellsberg, whom he was determined to embarrass for exposing the Pentagon Papers.

From Los Angeles Times

He may also seek to embarrass Vance over his leaked messages from 2020 in which he said Trump had "thoroughly failed to deliver on his economic populism".

From BBC

In the world of professional wrestling “shooters” are among the most feared opponents because they have the potential to embarrass and cause serious physical harm to their opponents if they choose to.

From Salon

Related Words

• agitate
• annoy
• bewilder
• bother
• confuse
• disconcert
• distract
• disturb
• dumbfound
• faze
• fluster
• irk
• mortify
• perplex
• perturb
• plague
• puzzle
• rattle
• shame
• stun