embarrassment

noun

im-ˈber-əs-mənt How to pronounce embarrassment (audio)
Definition of embarrassmentnext
1
as in confusion
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable experienced the great embarrassment of tripping while on stage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult a big suitcase filled with clothes proved to be more an embarrassment than a convenience on my trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 embarrassment Jason’s nerves over going back to school (to be a social worker) in his 40s is played more for laughs and camaraderie than embarrassment or temptation. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 8 July 2026 Goalkeeper Matt Freese’s costly blunder in the 57th minute was an embarrassment that gifted the Belgians a third goal to all but seal the elimination loss. — Miami Herald, 7 July 2026 American fans will rue the fact that such a feel-good story ended in embarrassment on and off the field as a US president who loves the spotlight seized it at an inopportune time and then a promising team crashed out in the worst way possible. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 7 July 2026 Either way, the development is a public embarrassment for Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, whose antagonistic, foot-dragging attitude in negotiations with his young core finally cost him dearly. — Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for embarrassment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrassment
  1. confusion
  2. obstacle
  3. humiliation
  4. hurdle
  5. discomfort
  6. obstruction
  7. unease
  8. interference
Noun
  • The 2017 Open Championship, which Spieth won despite — perhaps because of — a 22-minute ordeal of confusion, patience and a whole lot of running up and down a steep hill of thick, shrubby dune grass.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Still, as the clock creeped closer to midnight, and fans also heard that supposedly Jay-Z had to end the show by midnight, confusion reigned with many people suspecting the concert might get canceled.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • Permitting — more than access to capital — is the main obstacle to building out the global energy system, the heads of the natural resources group at JP Morgan’s investment bank write today.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 9 July 2026
  • Finding locations with sufficient grid capacity has become a primary obstacle for technology companies building new facility hubs.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of obstacle
Noun
  • Ultimately, Iran freed the hostages on January 20, 1981, just minutes after Reagan had taken the oath of office, in what is widely seen as a final humiliation of Carter by the Iranians.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026
  • Despite the humiliation of Platner’s collapse, which came with plenty of warning signs that his backers looked beyond, that remains the case.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of humiliation
Noun
  • To directly address these technical, safety, and regulatory hurdles, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the international energy technology firm Eni have established a new commercial engineering services company named RH3OVA.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026
  • There are still some hurdles to get Trout to the game this year.
    — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 5 July 2026
Definition of hurdle
Noun
  • Due to such discomfort – or for other reasons – people often delay making plans for their own dying process.
    — Jane Callahan, The Conversation, 14 July 2026
  • But despite this recent discomfort between the two sides, league sources say the front office is not currently making an effort to shop Diggins for a deadline trade.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of discomfort
Noun
  • The change in the law comes after a July 2025 Kansas Supreme Court ruling decided that Kansas officers may no longer stop cars solely for obstruction of a state name on a license plate.
    — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
  • Following significant rainfall events, Public Works evaluates reported flooding locations and responds to maintenance issues, such as debris or drainage obstructions, where appropriate.
    — Casey Mann, Arkansas Online, 8 July 2026
Definition of obstruction
Noun
  • Police said Friday there is no indication that the killing was politically motivated, but her death has renewed unease about the safety of Britain’s politicians after two others were killed in the last decade.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 11 July 2026
  • The contradictions of their closeness aren’t papered over; the unease is allowed to linger, inflamed and ineradicable.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
Definition of unease
Noun
  • The Commissioner must be able to communicate clearly with Congress, industry, patient groups, clinicians, scientists, and the public while defending the agency’s scientific integrity against political interference from any direction.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 14 July 2026
  • There are staffers uncomfortable with the politics of the deal, worried that political interference could alter CNN’s coverage in a meaningful way.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
Definition of interference

Phrases Containing embarrassment

Browse Nearby Words

embarrassing
embarrassment
embarrassment of riches
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Embarrassment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrassment. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on embarrassment

Nglish: Translation of embarrassment for Spanish Speakers

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 obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All