embarrass

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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

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.
Recent Examples of embarrass Purdue has a history of bowing out of the tournament in embarrassing fashion over the last decade – taking down a top seed in the Sweet 16 might be the way to show last year was no fluke and those days are gone for good. Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2025 O’Neil had shown a more ruthless streak in dealing with Lemina, stripping the midfielder of the captaincy after those embarrassing post-match scenes at West Ham. Steve Madeley, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025 Punk proceeded to beatdown and embarrass McIntyre, leading to Priest cashing in his Money in the Bank contract and winning the title from McIntyre. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025 In a subsequent post, Thorne accused Rourke of intentionally embarrassing her while making Girl. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for embarrass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrass
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • 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
  • In Wednesday’s ruling, Gonzalez Rogers said Apple is immediately barred from impeding developers’ ability to communicate with users, and the company must not levy its new commission on off-app purchases.
    Reuters, NBC news, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Odd intuitive hits complicate your productivity as the moon clashes with Neptune.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Midway through Donald Trump‘s 100-day interview with ABC’s Terry Moran, the president got flustered.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Scientists believe early exposure to this content may hinder children's understanding of consent and respect in relationships.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 May 2025
  • The Transport Workers Union argued the petition would hinder safety.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • Luckily, my dog doesn’t bother the plants—except the ones in the garden—but this plant stand gives me peace of mind anyway.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2025
  • Travel delays don’t bother Blues The Blues got stuck in Winnipeg after Game 5 due to an issue with the plane that was bringing them back to St. Louis.
    Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Substantial reductions in funding for HIV prevention efforts could further hamper this public health messaging.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Embarrass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrass. Accessed 16 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on embarrass

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