Embarrassing
/ɪmˈbɛrəsɪŋ/
adjectiveB1present participle / adjective form
Definition
Embarrassing means causing someone to feel uncomfortable or shy, often because of a mistake, awkward moment, or something that draws unwanted attention. It is the feeling when you want to hide or avoid others because you feel uneasy or ashamed.
Was this helpful?
⚡ See It in Action
Causing a feeling of awkwardness or shame
- •It was embarrassing when I forgot my lines during the play.
- •She felt embarrassing after spilling coffee on her boss’s papers.
- •The embarrassing moment made him blush and look away.
Describing a situation or action that leads to discomfort or shame
- •That was an embarrassing mistake on the test.
- •The embarrassing photo was shared with all their friends.
- •He told an embarrassing story about his childhood.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "embarrassing" like "shy," but it happens because of something that makes you feel uncomfortable in front of others.
- ✓Picture someone tripping and falling in front of a crowd—their face turns red and they feel awkward.
- ✓It's the feeling when you forget someone's name during an important meeting or say something wrong.
- ✓Sounds like "im-BEAR-assing" → imagine a big bear making a loud noise and causing a funny, awkward moment that makes everyone uncomfortable.
- ✓In stories, embarrassing moments often make characters feel small or want to run away.
- ✓NOT like "funny" (which makes people laugh happily), "embarrassing" makes people feel awkward or uneasy.
- ✓NOT like "sad" (which makes you feel unhappy inside), "embarrassing" makes you feel shy or uncomfortable because of others’ attention.
- ✓NOT like "proud" (feeling good about yourself), "embarrassing" is the opposite feeling, making you want to hide.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Awkward: feeling uncomfortable or uneasy (Use when the situation is uncomfortable but not strongly shameful)
- •Shameful: causing a feeling of guilt or disgrace (Use when the feeling is stronger and involves guilt)
- •Uncomfortable: causing physical or emotional discomfort (Use in general situations where feelings are uneasy but not necessarily about shame)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "em-" (a prefix meaning "to cause") + "barrass" (from French, meaning to block or hinder) + "-ing" (makes adjective or present participle)
- •Etymology: From French "embarrasser," meaning to block or hinder, later used in English to mean causing discomfort or shame
- •Historical development: Originally meant to block or obstruct, then shifted to mean causing social discomfort or shame in the 18th century
- •Modern usage: Used to describe feelings or situations that make people feel shy, uncomfortable, or ashamed in social settings
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when something embarrassing helped you learn or grow? How did you feel afterward?
•How do different cultures show or handle embarrassing situations? Are some more open about these feelings than others?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.She felt embarrassing because she ___ the answer in front of the whole class.
2.An embarrassing situation often makes people want to ___ or avoid others.
3.Unlike funny moments, embarrassing events make people feel ___ or shy.
4.When someone tells an embarrassing story, they might feel ___ about sharing it.
5.Embarrassing moments usually happen when someone makes a ___ or mistake.
6.People often say "sorry" after an embarrassing action to ___ others’ feelings.
7.It is less embarrassing to make a small mistake than to do something ___ in public.