embarrass
C1Neutral to Formal. The verb is standard across registers. The adjective 'embarrassed' is common in everyday speech; the noun 'embarrassment' is formal in some uses (e.g., 'financial embarrassment').
Definition
Meaning
to cause someone to feel self-conscious, awkward, ashamed, or uncomfortable by their actions, situation, or the actions of others.
To impede or hinder; to complicate a situation or process (often used in financial or formal contexts, e.g., 'embarrass the movement of troops').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a social/emotional state. Often involves a perceived violation of social norms. Can be transitive (He embarrassed me) or used in passive/reflexive constructions (I was/ felt embarrassed). The causing agent can be a person, event, or the subject's own actions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK often uses double 'r' in inflections: embarrassed, embarrassing. US sometimes uses single 'r': embarrassed, embarrassing (though both are accepted). Pronunciation differs (see IPA).
Connotations
Largely identical. The financial/hindrance sense ('to embarrass the administration') is slightly more formal/archaic in both varieties.
Frequency
The word is high-frequency in both varieties with no significant divergence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] embarrassed [NP] (transitive)[NP] be/become/feel embarrassed (linking verb + adjective)[NP] be embarrassed by/about/at [NP/gerund] (prepositional)It embarrasses [NP] that-clause/to-infinitiveVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “an embarrassment of riches (too many good choices)”
- “spare someone's blushes (UK, avoid embarrassing them)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in PR/crisis contexts: 'The data breach embarrassed the company.' Formal: 'financial embarrassment' (insolvency).
Academic
In social psychology: 'subjects reported feeling embarrassed after the faux pas.'
Everyday
Very common: 'I embarrassed myself singing karaoke.' 'That's so embarrassing!'
Technical
Rare. Possibly in robotics/AI regarding simulated social interactions.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- His loud tie rather embarrassed his colleagues at the funeral.
- Please don't embarrass me in front of the neighbours.
American English
- The reporter's question embarrassed the senator. (US sp: embarrassed)
- I didn't mean to embarrass you.
adverb
British English
- He smiled embarrassedly before correcting himself. (Rare, formal)
- She laughed, embarrassingly loud.
American English
- He looked around embarrassedly. (Rare)
- The video failed embarrassingly during the presentation.
adjective
British English
- She gave an embarrassed laugh and looked away.
- He was deeply embarrassed by the oversight.
American English
- An embarrassed silence fell over the room.
- She felt embarrassed about the mistake. (US sp: embarrassed)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I was embarrassed when I fell down.
- It's embarrassing to forget a name.
- My dad's jokes always embarrass me.
- She felt embarrassed about her accent.
- The government was embarrassed by the leaked documents.
- To avoid embarrassment, he prepared his speech thoroughly.
- The chairman's gaffe served to embarrass the entire board, complicating the merger talks.
- They were financially embarrassed and had to withdraw the offer.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: EM-BARR-ASS. You hit a BAR (obstacle) with your ASS (body) in public – how embarrassing!
Conceptual Metaphor
EMBARRASSMENT IS A PHYSICAL BURDEN/WEIGHT ('weighed down by embarrassment'), EMBARRASSMENT IS HEAT ('burning with embarrassment'), EMBARRASSMENT IS VISIBILITY ('I wanted the ground to swallow me up').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'смущать' in all contexts. 'Embarrass' is stronger, often closer to 'приводить в замешательство' or 'ставить в неловкое положение'. 'Смущать' can be milder, like 'to shy'. The financial sense does not translate to 'смущать'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: embarass, embarras. Using 'ashamed' as a direct synonym (ashame implies guilt, embarrassment implies social discomfort). Incorrect preposition: 'embarrassed *of' (use 'by', 'about', or 'at').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'embarrass' in its less common, formal sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Embarrassed by' is standard and correct. 'Embarrassed about' and 'embarrassed at' are also used. 'Embarrassed of' is generally considered non-standard.
Embarrassment is a social emotion related to awkwardness or self-consciousness, often minor. Shame is a deeper, moral emotion related to guilt, dishonour, or severe inadequacy.
In standard UK English: two 'r's and two 's's (embarrassed). In US English, both double-'r' and single-'r' (embarassed) are found, but dictionaries and careful writing prefer the double-'r' spelling.
Yes, in a causative sense. A situation can embarrass a person. It is less common for an inanimate object to be the subject unless personified (e.g., 'The old car embarrassed him').