embarrass
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to cause confusion and shame to; make uncomfortably self-conscious; disconcert; abash.
His bad table manners embarrassed her.
- Synonyms:
- chagrin, discomfit, discompose
-
to make difficult or intricate, as a question or problem; complicate.
-
to put obstacles or difficulties in the way of; impede.
The motion was advanced in order to embarrass the progress of the bill.
-
to beset with financial difficulties; burden with debt.
The decline in sales embarrassed the company.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(also intr) to feel or cause to feel confusion or self-consciousness; disconcert; fluster
-
(usually passive) to involve in financial difficulties
-
archaic to make difficult; complicate
-
archaic to impede; obstruct; hamper
Related Words
See confuse.
Other Word Forms
- embarrassed adjective
- embarrassedly adverb
- embarrassingly adverb
- preembarrass verb (used with object)
- unembarrassed adjective
Etymology
Origin of embarrass
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)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is not revelation: The defense secretary is well known for preening for the cameras with a level of self-regard that would embarrass most supermodels.
From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026
They were blown away by Ireland at Twickenham as the men in green ran in five tries to embarrass Steve Borthwick's side 42-21.
From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026
“I’m not gonna embarrass anyone, cough, Anthropic,” Malik said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026
“During my lifetime, reformers sought to embarrass CEOs by requiring the disclosure of the compensation of the boss compared to what was being paid to the average employee,” Buffett wrote.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 2, 2025
“Quentin, we’d just embarrass ourselves. We’d be up against Welch High School students.”
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
