embarrass

[ em-bar-uhs ]
See synonyms for: embarrassembarrassedembarrassing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to cause confusion and shame to; make uncomfortably self-conscious; disconcert; abash: His bad table manners embarrassed her.

  2. to make difficult or intricate, as a question or problem; complicate.

  1. to put obstacles or difficulties in the way of; impede: The motion was advanced in order to embarrass the progress of the bill.

  2. to beset with financial difficulties; burden with debt: The decline in sales embarrassed the company.

verb (used without object)
  1. to become disconcerted, abashed, or confused.

Origin of embarrass

1
1665–75; <French embarrasser<Spanish embarazar<Portuguese embaraçar, equivalent to em-em-1 + -baraçar, verbal derivative of baraço, baraça cord, strap, noose (of obscure origin)

synonym study For embarrass

1. See confuse.

Other words for embarrass

Other words from embarrass

  • em·bar·rassed·ly [em-bar-uhst-lee, -uh-sid-lee], /ɛmˈbær əst li, -ə sɪd li/, adverb
  • em·bar·rass·ing·ly, adverb
  • pre·em·bar·rass, verb (used with object)
  • un·em·bar·rassed, adjective

Words Nearby embarrass

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use embarrass in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for embarrass

embarrass

/ (ɪmˈbærəs) /


verb(mainly tr)
  1. (also intr) to feel or cause to feel confusion or self-consciousness; disconcert; fluster

  2. (usually passive) to involve in financial difficulties

  1. archaic to make difficult; complicate

  2. archaic to impede; obstruct; hamper

Origin of embarrass

1
C17: (in the sense: to impede): via French and Spanish from Italian imbarrazzare, from imbarrare to confine within bars; see en- 1, bar 1

Derived forms of embarrass

  • embarrassed, adjective
  • embarrassedly, adverb

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