ENGLISH
REFERENCE

embarrassment of riches

idiom
Meaning

An abundance or overabundance of something; too much of a good thing.


Origin

first recorded 18th c.

Calque of French embarras des richesses, from John Ozell's 1738 translation of a French play, L'Embarras des richesses (1726) by Léonor Jean Christine Soulas d'Allainval.

Examples
SIMPLE

We have an embarrassment of riches when choosing a vacation spot.

CONTEXTUAL

The chef faced an embarrassment of riches with so many fresh ingredients available in the garden.

COMPLEX

The university library offers an embarrassment of riches for researchers, providing access to rare historical documents and extensive digital archives alike.

Anchors to

© 2026 English Reference