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Glite Dictionary
to embarrass

to embarrass

642 2.1
Make someone feel awkward or ashamed in front of others
  • verb
  • /ɪmˈbærəs/
translation icon : avergonzar
  • She didn’t mean to embarrass him in front of his colleagues.
  • feel embarrassed
  • become embarrassed
  • say anything to embarrass

That letter was sent to embarrass Joe Biden, their boss.

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Examples

  • Yeah, way to embarrass us in front of our guest.

  • Guys, don't embarrass me in front of all these people.

  • I have never seen him act in ways that might embarrass you as his wife.

  • Can you not embarrass me any more, please?

    Unfavorable Odds (2022)

  • Are you trying to embarrass me?

    Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher (2022)

  • - Man, you just embarrassed me and cost me money.

    Lord of the Streets (2022)

  • I don't want to embarrass the family myself.

  • After the pandemic, I don't want to embarrass myself.

  • According to the nurse, the physician appeared somewhat surprised and embarrassed by the situation.

    Academic text (2015)

  • When Juanita remembered the incident, she was embarrassed and asked them not to remind her of it.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to humiliate
vsto embarrass
  • Offensive
414 6.1

Make someone feel very ashamed and foolish, often in front of others

covers general awkward or ashamed feelings without requiring injury to dignity
to shame
vsto embarrass
170 3.9

To make someone feel guilty or embarrassed to get them to do something

is limited to causing awkward feelings rather than implying moral guilt or pressure
to mortify
vsto embarrass
22 6.9

To make someone feel very embarrassed or ashamed

expresses the same embarrassment but at a lower or milder intensity
to disconcert
vsto embarrass
7 7.1

To make someone feel uncomfortable or embarrassed

focuses on general awkward or ashamed feelings rather than unease alone
to confuse
vsto embarrass
4 2.4

Make someone feel embarrassed or uncomfortable by surprising them

covers similar embarrassment but not only when attention is unexpected
to abash
vsto embarrass
  • Formal
2 8.3

To make someone feel embarrassed or shy

is the broader verb for making someone awkward or ashamed rather than specific tone
to discomfort
vsto embarrass
1 4.3

To make someone feel uneasy or anxious

involves clear awkwardness or shame rather than mere physical or mental unease
to hurt pride
vsto embarrass
5.5

To make someone feel embarrassed and less confident

is the simpler act of causing awkward or ashamed feelings rather than pride injury
to chagrin
vsto embarrass
8.0

To make someone feel embarrassed or disappointed

refers more narrowly to awkward or ashamed feelings without the added disappointment

Antonyms

to comfort
172 1.0

To make someone feel less upset or in pain

to reassure
163 3.4

To make someone feel less worried and more confident

How Embarrassing

to mortify
22 6.9
to humiliate
  • Offensive
414 6.1
to embarrass
642 2.1

Surface Forms

embarrass infinitive
embarrassing present participle
embarrasses third person singular
embarrassed past
embarrassed past participle

Morphology

embarrass = em + barrass

Although the surface form begins with the productive prefix 'em-', the remaining element 'barrass' is not a standalone English base and the modern sense ('make ashamed') cannot be reliably derived from its visible parts by an average learner.

Etymology

Embarrass comes from old French parts en- 'in' and barre 'bar' or 'barrier', and it originally meant to 'put behind a bar' or 'block'. So think of being 'barred' or stopped — when people feel stopped or unable to act they often feel awkward or ashamed, which is why to embarrass someone is to make them feel that way.