as in uncomfortable
causing embarrassment
an embarrassing failure of memory inauspiciously marked my first appearance as an actor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in confusing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
the modest young soldiers were embarrassed by the public praise for their heroism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impeding
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
a lot of this paperwork is unnecessary and just embarrasses the organization
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in complicating
to make complex or difficult
claims that the new government regulations will needlessly embarrass the operations of small businesses in the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of embarrassing
Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2025
Manpower is a significant concern for both sides, and defection is often embarrassing for the country losing personnel.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
But then one small spill happens and you may be stuck wearing an embarrassing token of it all day long.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2025
As for her date, he clearly wasn't deterred by this embarrassing moment.
—Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for embarrassing
Adjective
Reddit was a place to share all manner of memes, photographs, questions, embarrassing stories, and ideas.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2025
Manpower is a significant concern for both sides, and defection is often embarrassing for the country losing personnel.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
But then one small spill happens and you may be stuck wearing an embarrassing token of it all day long.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2025
As for her date, he clearly wasn't deterred by this embarrassing moment.
—Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for embarrassing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrassing
Adjective
-
Say something that might make some people uncomfortable but will deeply resonate with your ideal clients.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
-
And tariffs could have a perverse and uncomfortable upside, Caitlin Daniel, a researcher at Harvard, told me.—
Rachel Sugar,
The Atlantic,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
While inside, the affidavit said, Roe shoved an officer and wrapped his arm around the officer, impeding him from defending police from the rioters.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Of those, 608 have been charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers during a civil disorder.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Historically an awkward public speaker, Johnson nevertheless saw the invitation as an opportunity to promote his plan for a voting rights bill.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The latest breakthrough attempts have been met with ridicule as Republicans blast Democrats for awkward social media posts and videos.—
Rachel Schilke,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
That leads to the second point: automating boring tasks, or delegating unpleasant things to the AI itself.—
John Werner,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Seed oils are typically made by pressing or crushing the seeds and then processing them further with chemicals and heat to remove elements that can leave the oil cloudy or with an unpleasant taste or odor.—
Jonel Aleccia,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
On the other hand lies the more difficult but ultimately more promising path: repudiation of that post-2008 legacy and a conscientious return to a politics of the prudential center.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
But their happy romance is soon demolished when Jenny reappears in their lives, thrusting all three into a difficult and messy journey towards true accountability and adulthood.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Russia was becoming more closed, and this was disconcerting for a generation that had grown up in a modernized and relatively open society.—
Andrei Kolesnikov,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Oct. 2024
-
Calculations on how many homeowners are at risk and how many are covered vary, but all are disconcerting.—
Kate Gibson,
CBS News,
4 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
According to officers, Kerley was obstructing their investigation and was told to step away.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Jan. 2025
-
She was additionally charged with four counts of resisting or obstructing a police officer.—
Andrea May Sahouri,
Detroit Free Press,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
While no human-affecting viruses have been revived yet, the fact that ancient microbes can persist in a viable state raises a disturbing possibility: what else is hidden in the deep freeze, waiting to wake up?—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The possibility of losing Miami Beach's only art house cinema is disturbing to Tabsch, a filmmaker whose 2018 documentary The Last Resort, was about Miami Beach's Jewish community in the 1970s.—
Mandalit del Barco,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Embarrassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrassing. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share