Word
embarrassed
Phoneticsem·bar·rassed, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪmˈbɛɹəst/
UK/ɛmbˈæɹəst/
Definitions
01feeling ashamed or awkward
B1 · Intermediate
adj. feeling uncomfortable, shy, or ashamed because of something you did or because of what people think of you.
adj. feeling self-conscious, ashamed, or socially awkward. This is a gradable adjective often followed by the prepositions 'about' or 'by'.
“I felt so embarrassed when I realized my shirt was on backwards all morning.”
“He was visibly embarrassed by the public praise, shifting uncomfortably in his seat while the director recounted his achievements to the entire staff.”
Usage
Commonly follows 'feel' or 'be'; often takes 'about' for the cause or 'to' before an infinitive verb.
Pitfall
I am very embarrassing about my mistake.
I am very embarrassed about my mistake.
Use 'embarrassed' to describe how you feel. Use 'embarrassing' to describe the situation that caused the feeling.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'pregnant' in Romance languages (e.g., Spanish 'embarazada'). Always clarify that in English it only refers to social discomfort.
Synonyms
02having money problems
C2 · Proficiency Formal · Archaic
adj. having a lot of debt or not enough money to pay what you owe.
adj. beset by financial difficulties or heavily burdened by debt. Usually appears in the phrase 'financially embarrassed'.
“The old family was financially embarrassed and had to sell their large house.”
“The firm found itself somewhat embarrassed by a sudden lack of liquidity, forcing the partners to seek an emergency loan to cover the month's payroll.”
Usage
Almost exclusively used with the adverb 'financially'.
Teaching tip
This sense is rare in modern speech and mostly found in 19th-century literature or very formal, old-fashioned financial reports.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “embarrassed” in context.
Verb
01. feel embarrassed
“I feel embarrassed about making such a silly mistake.”
verb + adj
02. leave embarrassed
“The unexpected question left him embarrassed and speechless.”
verb + adj
03. look embarrassed
“He looked embarrassed when he saw the photos from the night before.”
verb + adj
04. make embarrassed
“I didn't mean to make you embarrassed in front of your friends.”
verb + adj
05. sound embarrassed
“She sounded embarrassed when she called to apologize.”
verb + adj
Adjective
06. acutely embarrassed
“She felt acutely embarrassed when she realized she had forgotten his name.”
adv + adj
07. deeply embarrassed
“He was deeply embarrassed by his mother's behavior at the party.”
adv + adj
Noun
08. embarrassed about
“You shouldn't be embarrassed about your English level.”
adj + prep
09. embarrassed by
“They were embarrassed by the poor quality of the service.”
adj + prep
10. feel embarrassed for someone
“I felt embarrassed for her when she tripped on stage.”
11. look slightly embarrassed
“He looked slightly embarrassed as he admitted he was wrong.”
12. too embarrassed to ask
“I was too embarrassed to ask for help with the project.”
Confusables
Embarrassed is the internal feeling of shame; embarrassing is the external quality that causes it.
RememberEmbarrassed = How I feel. Embarrassing = Why I feel it.
Real-World Examples
“We are embarrassed by this performance," Scaramucci wrote about the firm's 23.3% loss in March, which left the portfolio down 22.79% in the first quarter.” “LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - American singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams said he was "embarrassed" by one of his biggest pop hits, the 2013 song "Blurred Lines", having realised that the lyrics were "rapey".” Etymology
Past participle of embarrass.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
For Spanish speakers
False friend embarazada means “pregnant” — The resemblance to 'embarrassed' is coincidental; the two words are unrelated. The English adjective denotes self-conscious shame, which Spanish expresses with 'avergonzado/a'.
Grammar Spanish uses the verb 'dar' (dar vergüenza) or 'estar' (estar avergonzado); learners often incorrectly transfer the reflexive 'me embarazo' which in Spanish carries a completely different meaning related to conception.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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