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

Mr Matthews said he now felt "embarrassed" that he trusted Ms Allen-Wyatt due to her status as a footballer.

From BBC

“Instead, they got a former World Wrestling Entertainment executive. This is embarrassing and a slap in the face to our nation’s talented educators.”

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s a bit embarrassing that you see my name a few times in the credits, but we needed to list those different titles for contractual purposes,” Zilbalodis sheepishly says.

From Los Angeles Times

In a statement read to the court, the victim said he had been "embarrassed" in front of his classmates.

From BBC

What the coalition government is doing is “an absolute attempt to divide an otherwise progressive country and it’s really embarrassing”.

From BBC

Related Words

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