# embarrass

/ɪmˈbɛɹəs/ (US) · /ɛmbˈæɹəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/embarrass
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to cause social discomfort

verb · CEFR B1

to make someone feel self-conscious, ashamed, or uncomfortable, especially in front of others.

For teachers: to cause someone to feel self-conscious, ashamed, or socially awkward. Transitive; requires a direct object.

- I didn't want to embarrass him by mentioning his mistake in front of the whole team.
- The politician was visibly embarrassed when the journalist pointed out the glaring contradictions in his previous statements regarding tax reform.

### 2. to complicate or confuse

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make a situation or a person's mind feel confused or complicated.

For teachers: to perplex or disconcert mentally; to make a situation more difficult to deal with through complexity.

- The new rules only serve to embarrass the process further.
- The unexpected legal challenge served to embarrass the negotiations, forcing both parties to reconsider their initial demands.

### 3. to hinder or obstruct

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to slow down or block movement or progress.

For teachers: to hinder from liberty of movement; to impede or obstruct progress or action.

- The heavy snow embarrassed our efforts to reach the mountain top.
- The narrow corridors were designed to embarrass the movement of any invading force, creating natural choke points for the defenders.

### 4. financial difficulty

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to cause someone or a company to have serious money problems or debt.

For teachers: to involve in difficulties concerning financial matters; to encumber with debt or urgent claims.

- The company was embarrassed by a sudden lack of cash to pay its workers.
- The estate became heavily embarrassed by the previous owner's extravagant spending and poorly managed investments.

## Examples

- I did not want to embarrass him in front of his friends.
- The politician's sudden memory lapse during the live debate served only to embarrass his supporters.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.