ENGLISH
REFERENCE

embarrass

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ɪmˈbɛɹəs// UK //ɛmbˈæɹəs// em·bar·rass Formal

v. to make someone feel shy, ashamed, or uncomfortable in front of other people. You might do this by saying something private or making a mistake in public.

v. to cause someone to feel self-conscious, ashamed, or awkward. Transitive in use; frequently appears in the passive voice to describe a person's emotional state.


SIMPLE

I did not want to embarrass him in front of his friends.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician's sudden memory lapse during the live debate served only to embarrass his supporters.

COMPLEX

While the host intended the toast to be humorous, the overly personal anecdotes began to embarrass the bride, casting a brief shadow over the celebratory atmosphere.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from French embarrasser, from Middle French embarrasser, embarasser (“to embarrass; to block, obstruct”), from Spanish embarazar, either from Italian imbarazzare or from Portuguese embaraçar.

Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. It is frequently used in the passive voice ('to be embarrassed') or as a participial adjective ('embarrassing', 'embarrassed').

Pitfall

I am very embarrassing about my mistake.I am very embarrassed about my mistake.Use 'embarrassed' to describe how a person feels and 'embarrassing' to describe the thing that causes the feeling.

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