embarrassment
noun
em·bar·rass·ment
im-ˈber-əs-mənt 
-ˈba-rəs-
1
a
: something that embarrasses
the scandal was a major embarrassment
b
: an excessive quantity from which to select
—used especially in the phrase embarrassment of riches
2
: the state of being embarrassed: such as
a
: confusion or disturbance of mind
couldn't hide her embarrassment
b
: difficulty arising from the want of money to pay debts
c
: difficulty in functioning as a result of disease
cardiac embarrassment
Synonyms
Examples of embarrassment in a Sentence
She couldn't hide her embarrassment.
The scandal was a major embarrassment for the government.
He's an embarrassment to his family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Readers and audiences have seen Jones have love triangles, find romance and even have a baby, but in the novel Mad About a Boy, the woman found new levels of embarrassment as tweets and texts were added to her diary as her forms of expression.
—
Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
In the teaser, Riley deals with the beginning of high school and onset of new emotions, including anxiety, boredom, jealousy and embarrassment.
—Jillian Pretzel, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
As a result of Chauvin and Thao’s conduct, the lawsuit alleged, Williams has endured emotional distress, pain, suffering, humiliation and embarrassment.
—Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 1 Apr. 2024
Add the 39-point humiliation handed to Utah State by Purdue and four other early exits, and the collective showing was an embarrassment.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024
January’s Golden Globes left viewers wincing with secondhand embarrassment, prompting headlines that questioned the purpose of hosts in the first place.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024
Also, for many Black women, perimenopause, and menopause are taboo topics that aren’t openly discussed, either because of shame or embarrassment or genuinely not knowing their symptoms and often being dismissed by their healthcare providers.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
In an industry with gross revenues exceeding $11 billion, the A’s are an embarrassment.
—Maury Brown, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
When you're assigned female at birth and identify as a woman, the crunch of a pad wrapper is just a possibility for embarrassment.
—Caroline Colvin, Health, 9 Mar. 2024
Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
In the teaser, Riley deals with the beginning of high school and onset of new emotions, including anxiety, boredom, jealousy and embarrassment.
—Jillian Pretzel, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
As a result of Chauvin and Thao’s conduct, the lawsuit alleged, Williams has endured emotional distress, pain, suffering, humiliation and embarrassment.
—Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 1 Apr. 2024
Add the 39-point humiliation handed to Utah State by Purdue and four other early exits, and the collective showing was an embarrassment.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024
January’s Golden Globes left viewers wincing with secondhand embarrassment, prompting headlines that questioned the purpose of hosts in the first place.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024
Also, for many Black women, perimenopause, and menopause are taboo topics that aren’t openly discussed, either because of shame or embarrassment or genuinely not knowing their symptoms and often being dismissed by their healthcare providers.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
In an industry with gross revenues exceeding $11 billion, the A’s are an embarrassment.
—Maury Brown, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
When you're assigned female at birth and identify as a woman, the crunch of a pad wrapper is just a possibility for embarrassment.
—Caroline Colvin, Health, 9 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'embarrassment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near embarrassment
Cite this Entry
“Embarrassment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embarrassment. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
embarrassment
noun
em·bar·rass·ment
im-ˈbar-əs-mənt
1
a
: something that embarrasses
the scandal was a terrible embarrassment
b
: an overly large quantity from which to select
—used especially in the phrase embarrassment of riches
2
: the state of being embarrassed
blushed with embarrassment
Medical Definition
embarrassment
noun
em·bar·rass·ment
im-ˈbar-ə-smənt
: difficulty in functioning as a result of disease
cardiac embarrassment
respiratory embarrassment
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