as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
a flustering situation that left us all silent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in confusing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
was flustered when her parents dragged out her baby pictures for her new boyfriend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flustering
Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In the first half the Horned Frogs were successful in flustering the freshman.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
South Carolina was flying all over the court to start the game, completely flustering freshman guard Aubrey Galvan and forcing three Commodores turnovers in 30 seconds to open an 11-2 lead in less than two minutes.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In the first half the Horned Frogs were successful in flustering the freshman.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flustering
Adjective
-
In January, the Vatican’s highest Court of Cassation upheld the lower court’s decision to throw out the prosecutor’s appeal of the first trial entirely because prosecutor Alessandro Diddi committed an embarrassing rookie procedural error.—
Nicole Winfield,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
-
This is embarrassing to say the least.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That has to be confusing to the hitter.—
Eno Sarris,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Two years later, promoters marketed confusing credits such as the Employee Retention Credit to businesses that did not qualify, collecting fees to file improper claims.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
From historic wins, like the first woman to win for cinematography and seventh-ever Oscar tie, to awkward silences to moving tributes and very, very long bits from host Conan O’Brien, the March 15 ceremony was emotional and eventful.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
-
During the acceptance speech for Two People Exchanging Saliva, an awkward moment occurred when the microphone started to descend and the camera shifted to host Conan O'Brien, who was still waiting for the speeches to end.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And while the area's temperatures are rather lovely year-round, the region's increasingly hazardous air pollution makes visits from February through March seriously uncomfortable.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The impasse has boxed South Africa into an uncomfortable corner because CRRC is owned by the Chinese government, and Beijing is a key BRICS partner.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There’s a lot of disconcerting news about AI in journalism lately.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The news is disconcerting for nearby residents like Moody.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This unpleasant odor, Smith explained, is the result of something called asparagusic acid, which is unique to the vegetable.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
-
In addition to unpleasant flavors, how your flour smells or looks can indicate spoilage.—
Hannah Lee Leidy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kansas played the Blue Devils close and made life difficult for Duke freshman Cameron Boozer, largely thanks to Flory Bidunga’s defense.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Parents in attendance shared appreciation for seeing teens connect with older adults, especially during a stage of life when meaningful conversation at home can sometimes feel more difficult.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flustering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flustering. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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