embarrassment
Americannoun
-
the state of being embarrassed; disconcertment; abashment.
- Synonyms:
- discomposure
-
an act or instance of embarrassing.
-
something that embarrasses.
-
an overwhelmingly excessive amount; overabundance.
an embarrassment of riches.
-
the state of being in financial difficulties.
-
Medicine/Medical. impairment of functioning associated with disease.
respiratory embarrassment.
Related Words
See shame.
Other Word Forms
- preembarrassment noun
Etymology
Origin of embarrassment
From the French word embarrassement, dating back to 1670–80. See embarrass, -ment
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meanwhile, he added, Iranian attacks on Gulf states have removed any embarrassment that these monarchies had in cooperating with the U.S. military campaign.
For decades Mr. James was among tens of millions of Americans unable to grasp the written word—more than 20% of our population, an embarrassment for a nation rooted in high literacy.
Davidson later told Variety he had felt a "wave of shame and embarrassment" afterwards.
From BBC
When the hearing resumed, what followed was, by all accounts, a catastrophic embarrassment for the committee — one entirely of its own making.
From Salon
The indictment and collapse of AllHere was an embarrassment for Carvalho and the school system but did not appear to represent a major financial exposure.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
