Word: embarrassing

Associations

Embarrassing means something that causes someone to feel awkward, ashamed, or self-conscious. It often involves situations where a person feels uncomfortable due to something they did or something that happened to them.

• For example 1: "It was embarrassing when I tripped and fell in front of everyone." This shows a moment of personal failure that makes someone feel self-conscious.
• For example 2: "I felt embarrassing when my phone rang loudly during the meeting." Here, it indicates feeling awkward in a professional setting.
• For example 3: "She told an embarrassing story about me at the party." This indicates that the story made the person feel uncomfortable.

The synonym "humiliating" is similar but has a stronger connotation of public shame. "Embarrassing" might not always involve shame but can involve simply feeling awkward.

Substitution

Other words/phrases that can replace "embarrassing" include:

• Awkward: This is used for situations that make you feel uncomfortable, but it may not involve shame.
• Shameful: This focuses more on moral failure and usually has a stronger negative implication.
• Uncomfortable: This is more general and can refer to any situation that is not pleasant, without the strong emotions tied to "embarrassing."

Using these alternatives can change the feeling or impact of what you want to express.