embarrassing

adjective

em·​bar·​rass·​ing im-ˈber-ə-siŋ 

-ˈba-rə-

: causing a feeling of self-conscious confusion and distress : causing embarrassment

an embarrassing error

The official was ever so polite, and ever so sorry, but the rule was strict, and he could not let us in. It was very embarrassing, for many eyes were on us.

—Mark Twain

embarrassingly

im-ˈber-ə-siŋ-lē 

-ˈba-rə-

adverb

an embarrassingly messy house

Synonyms

• awkward
• discomfiting
• disconcerting
• disturbing
• flustering
• uncomfortable

Examples of embarrassing in a Sentence

an embarrassing failure of memory inauspiciously marked my first appearance as an actor

Recent Examples on the Web

Editors’ Picks Yet his recent efforts to include more conservative voices on the airwaves generated newsroom suspicion and ultimately led to an embarrassing rebellion over the hiring of Ronna McDaniel, a former Republican Party chair who aided Mr. Trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss. —Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 15 May 2024

But what bosses had hoped to be an impressive display of the U.K.’s commitment to the arts turned out to be a somewhat embarrassing chain of events that saw concerts canceled, part of the ceiling coming apart, and its grand opening delayed. —Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above