ENGLISH
REFERENCE

embarrassingly

adv. manner
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ɪmˈbɛɹəsɪŋɫi// UK //ɛmbˈæɹəsɪŋli// em·bar·rass·ing·ly

adv. in a way that makes you feel very ashamed or embarrassed. You use it to describe an action that is so bad or silly that it causes you to feel this way.

adv. in a manner that causes or is likely to cause a sense of shame, self-consciousness, or humiliation. Typically modifies adjectives or verbs to indicate the degree of social discomfort.


SIMPLE

He made an embarrassingly loud noise in the quiet library.

CONTEXTUAL

The actor gave an embarrassingly long speech that lasted for over an hour, much to the audience's discomfort.

COMPLEX

The politician's embarrassingly short memory was evident when he forgot the names of several key staff members during the press conference.

© 2026 English Reference