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

• uncomfortable
• awkward
• unpleasant
• difficult
• confusing
• disturbing

Examples of embarrassing in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The timing is notable: Trump’s Truth Social post about Bolton had nothing to do with classified information and everything to do with the fact that Bolton was one of the loudest reality checks on television about the President’s embarrassing summit a day earlier with Vladimir Putin, in Alaska. —Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025

However, the most embarrassing last-minute gazumping was Willian, who’d completed a Spurs medical only to wear Chelsea's blue. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Next steps for Starship The failures are frustrating and publicly embarrassing. —Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025

Defending is a hard, noisy, and occasionally embarrassing job. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for embarrassing

• polarising
• terracing