embarrass

1 to throw into a state of self-conscious distress the young soldier was embarrassed by the public praise for his heroism Synonyms abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle Related Words agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, put off, put out, unhinge, unsettle, upset; debase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, queer, shame Near Antonyms calm, comfort, console, relieve, soothe; buoy, cheer, embolden, encourage, hearten; assure, reassure

2 to create difficulty for the work or activity of a lot of this paperwork is unnecessary and just embarrasses the organization Synonyms clog, cramp, hamper, encumber, fetter, handcuff, handicap, hinder, hobble, hog-tie, hold back, hold up, impede, inhibit, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle, short-circuit, stymie, tie up, trammelRelated Words balk, check, constrain, curb, rein, restrain; bind, chain, halter, leash, tether, tie; arrest, brake, delay, retain, retard; barricade, block, blockade, roadblock; bog (down), mire; choke, smother, stifle, strangle, suffocate; baffle, foil, frustrate, stump, thwart; derail, disrupt, sabotage; muzzle, repress, suppress; confine, hedge (in), hem (in)Near Antonyms clear, make way, open, unclog, unplug, unstop; free, liberate, release, untie; loosen, smooth; encourage, further, promoteAntonyms aid, assist, facilitate, help

3 to make complex or difficult claims that the new government regulations will needlessly embarrass the operations of small businesses in the state Synonyms complex, complexify, complicate, entangle, perplex, sophisticateRelated Words develop, elaborate, expand; intensify, magnify; confound, confuse, mess (up), mix (up), muddle; snarl, tangleNear Antonyms abbreviate, cut, shorten; ease, facilitate; disentangle, straighten (out), unravel, untangle; oversimplifyAntonyms simplify, streamline