1
as in confusions
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 obstacles
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 embarrassments
The professional embarrassments even take place at the level of state supreme courts.
—
Martin Kaste, NPR, 3 Apr. 2026
That’s not only because judges are fining more lawyers for their laziness, but because the publicity about these embarrassments has been inescapable.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
But often those intentions stumble into a political quagmire where democratic dreams turn into civil war, once-compliant dictators become embarrassments and American soldiers return home in body bags.
—Tim Sullivan, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
While the turnout had indeed been strong, the decision also came across as an attempt to steady the narrative after a series of logistical embarrassments, reframing disruption as demand.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
But anomaly detection may have prevented embarrassments like the one at OPERA.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Feb. 2026
All the teams ran largely reliably and there were no major embarrassments playing out in front of the public and the media.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Vulnerability is currency on reality television, and after a season of exposing their own struggles and embarrassments, the other women are annoyed that Meredith wants to keep up appearances.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2026
Some led to major embarrassments.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Martin Kaste, NPR, 3 Apr. 2026
That’s not only because judges are fining more lawyers for their laziness, but because the publicity about these embarrassments has been inescapable.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
But often those intentions stumble into a political quagmire where democratic dreams turn into civil war, once-compliant dictators become embarrassments and American soldiers return home in body bags.
—Tim Sullivan, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
While the turnout had indeed been strong, the decision also came across as an attempt to steady the narrative after a series of logistical embarrassments, reframing disruption as demand.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
But anomaly detection may have prevented embarrassments like the one at OPERA.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Feb. 2026
All the teams ran largely reliably and there were no major embarrassments playing out in front of the public and the media.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Vulnerability is currency on reality television, and after a season of exposing their own struggles and embarrassments, the other women are annoyed that Meredith wants to keep up appearances.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2026
Some led to major embarrassments.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrassments
Noun
-
Before the Lost Weekend, John and Yoko had their New York Year — turning their personal confusions into beautifully vivid moments of rage and pain.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That disconnect is beginning to create what could become the new trust economy—one in which governance, authentication, transparency and accountability become strategic advantages for the companies in this space, rather than just operational or compliance obstacles.—
Jacques Ledbetter,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
His fragile starman is a strange, complex being navigating his way through Earth’s obstacles, including love, lust, addiction, greed, and ambition in his plight to save his planet and survive the chaos caused by his arrival.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Overcoming cost barriers with advanced architecture Traditional nuclear energy projects frequently face economic hurdles due to the extensive lead times and high capital requirements of manufacturing heavy components.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
California has the third-most data centers in the country, with 300, but high electricity rates, expensive land and regulatory hurdles mean that fewer, and smaller, facilities are currently planned than in other hotspots.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Of the photons of light that avoid clouds of dust and other deep-space obstructions to reach our planet, most don’t make it through Earth’s thick atmosphere, let alone through a telescope’s loss-prone optics.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
27 May 2026
-
Water causes cotton to expand rather than dissolve, which can create obstructions in pipes.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Embarrassments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrassments. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
