Synonyms of embarrass

embarrass

verb

im-ˈber-əs 

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

• confuse
• fluster
• bother
• mortify
• rattle
• disturb
• disconcert
• humiliate
• faze
• unsettle
• upset
• discomfit
• confound
• discountenance
• distress
• abash
• perturb
• discomfort
• nonplus
• agitate
• shame
• demean
• dismay
• unhinge
• humble
• disquiet
• degrade
• debase
• put off
• chagrin
• discompose
• put out
• queer

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relieve
• encourage
• soothe
• calm
• comfort
• console
• assure
• cheer
• reassure
• embolden
• hearten
• buoy

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

• impede
• hinder
• hamper
• obstruct
• inhibit
• stymie
• handicap
• disrupt
• delay
• restrain
• interfere (with)
• encumber
• frustrate
• hobble
• cramp
• constrain
• block
• handcuff
• tie up
• clog
• thwart
• hold back
• shackle
• short-circuit
• hog-tie
• fetter
• stifle
• trammel
• tie
• give a hard time
• curb
• bind
• rein
• balk
• retard
• retain
• cramp one's style
• hold up
• strangle
• check
• manacle
• brake
• choke
• arrest
• baffle
• derail
• sabotage
• confine
• bog (down)
• smother
• tether
• barricade
• suffocate
• repress
• chain
• leash
• blockade
• foil
• suppress
• mire
• halter
• muzzle
• roadblock
• stump
• hem (in)
• hedge (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• help
• assist
• facilitate
• aid
• open
• liberate
• clear
• make way
• encourage
• promote
• release
• free
• loosen
• unplug
• unstop
• unclog
• untie
• further
• smooth

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

• complicate
• perplex
• intensify
• complex
• confuse
• entangle
• complexify
• expand
• elaborate
• sophisticate
• develop
• confound
• magnify
• muddle
• snarl
• mix (up)
• tangle
• mess (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simplify
• streamline
• facilitate
• shorten
• cut
• ease
• straighten (out)
• abbreviate
• unravel
• disentangle
• untangle
• oversimplify

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb embarrass contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of embarrass are abash, discomfit, disconcert, and rattle. While all these words mean "to distress by confusing or confounding," embarrass implies some influence that impedes thought, speech, or action.

the question embarrassed her so much she couldn't answer

When might abash be a better fit than embarrass?

The synonyms abash and embarrass are sometimes interchangeable, but abash presupposes some initial self-confidence that receives a sudden check, producing shyness, shame, or a feeling of inferiority.

abashed by her swift and cutting retort

In what contexts can discomfit take the place of embarrass?

The meanings of discomfit and embarrass largely overlap; however, discomfit implies a hampering or frustrating accompanied by confusion.

hecklers discomfited the speaker

When would disconcert be a good substitute for embarrass?

While in some cases nearly identical to embarrass, disconcert implies an upsetting of equanimity or assurance producing uncertainty or hesitancy.

disconcerted by finding so many in attendance

Where would rattle be a reasonable alternative to embarrass?

The words rattle and embarrass can be used in similar contexts, but rattle implies an agitation that impairs thought and judgment.

rattled by all the television cameras

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of embarrass

In the aftermath, the mother was angry for a week, accusing him of undermining her authority and embarrassing her in front of their social circle. —Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025

Former President Sall dismissed the audits as technically unsound, but the announcement of nearly a quarter of GDP in unreported debt embarrassed the IMF and World Bank. —Joël Té-Léssia Assoko, semafor.com, 25 July 2025

During the weeks that the crisis dominated the news, my fight-or-flight response was constantly activated, to a degree that embarrassed me. —Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 14 July 2025

And Peggy deals with Bobby fighting dirty by embarrassing him and giving him noogies as Hank and the neighbors watch. —Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 July 2025

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