abashing

verb

present participle of abash
as in embarrassing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress felt terribly abashed when she walked into the wrong hotel room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abashing
  1. embarrassing
  2. confusing
  3. rattling
  4. flustering
  5. disconcerting
Verb
  • The comprehensive regimen is meant to uncover any prior criminal conduct in an applicant’s past as well as embarrassing personal information that could make an employee vulnerable to blackmail.
    — Eric Tucker, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Since then, Hochman has been slammed for playing politics, embarrassing his office and even backing down for no reason other than the pressure was too intense.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Verb
  • Then began the desperate, confusing search for their colleagues.
    — Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Summary Founders frequently misjudge their business's worth, often confusing revenue with actual value.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Canada’s response to Trump’s persistent tariff saber rattling has also illustrated key differences in the way North American trading partners are approaching trade in the 21st century.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Since his cancellation, Stephen Colbert has spoken openly of FCC chairman Brendan Carr’s role in rattling the late-night cage.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of rattling
Verb
  • The Pistons’ defense is swarming and flustering the Cavs.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 8 May 2026
  • But Seymour threw on a press, flustering the Patriots, who began to turn the ball over.
    — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of flustering
Verb
  • It is filled with off-putting, perhaps even disconcerting antics, and teams don't want to add that to their locker room.
    — Armando Salguero, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • One less gory but still disconcerting video shown in court was the bodycam footage from the night in February 2024 when members of the LA County Sheriff’s Department paid a visit to Burke’s Hollywood Hills home.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 22 July 2026
Definition of disconcerting
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.

Browse Nearby Words

abashes
abashing
abashment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abashing. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gumption

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All