1
as in to confuse
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to impede
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 to complicate
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
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Recent Examples of embarrass
Desperate to impress Ruby, Ava scrambles to get Deborah jokes for a desk bit, only for a capricious and vindictive Deborah to cancel the bit entirely and use the time to probe Ruby about embarrassing Ava stories on national television.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 9 May 2025
Here are examples from each president over the past 50 years or so of statements that at least some of them were embarrassed by or came to regret.
—Chris Lamb, The Conversation, 2 May 2025
Dallas embarrassed Columbus, winning Women’s 11-1 and Mixed No. 1 11-0 to cruise in a statement-making opener before losing the meaningless final.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The goal isn’t to embarrass or dominate the other person.
—John Bowe, CNBC, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for embarrass
Alison Herman, Variety, 9 May 2025
Here are examples from each president over the past 50 years or so of statements that at least some of them were embarrassed by or came to regret.
—Chris Lamb, The Conversation, 2 May 2025
Dallas embarrassed Columbus, winning Women’s 11-1 and Mixed No. 1 11-0 to cruise in a statement-making opener before losing the meaningless final.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The goal isn’t to embarrass or dominate the other person.
—John Bowe, CNBC, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for embarrass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrass
Verb
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While no one should ever have confused the entertainment business with a warm binkie, the institutions themselves are in the new and awkward spot of having to justify their existence.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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All of the footage from The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon makes the show-within-a-show look silly, which the series confuses with humorousness.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2025
Verb
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On April 16, the Department of Homeland Security threatened to impede Harvard’s ability to enroll students from abroad – an unprecedented move that would devastate the campus if the White House moved forward with it.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
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She has been charged with concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest and obstructing or impeding a proceeding.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Odd intuitive hits complicate your productivity as the moon clashes with Neptune.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
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But a simultaneous slowdown of the economy may complicate potential rate hikes, since high interest rates could worsen a downturn.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
8 May 2025
Verb
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In any other circumstance, I would have been flustered, embarrassed, and ready to drag her out of there and straight into a time-out.—
Staff Author,
Parents,
5 May 2025
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Midway through Donald Trump‘s 100-day interview with ABC’s Terry Moran, the president got flustered.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Scientists believe early exposure to this content may hinder children's understanding of consent and respect in relationships.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
2 May 2025
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The Transport Workers Union argued the petition would hinder safety.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Multiple current and former FDA officials said they were perplexed by Makary's claim, given the push for longer trips in the past had been an efficiency measure intended to result in the agency being able to complete more inspections.—
Paula Cohen,
CBS News,
6 May 2025
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Archaeologists were perplexed by a strange pair of discs found in Oman – only to discover these items were actually a single 4,000-year-old instrument.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That doesn’t mean the implication doesn’t bother him.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
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Or Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion who is surely not bothered by the lack of attention on him early this week.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 May 2025
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Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Embarrass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrass. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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