Definitions

embarrassment

[em-bar-uhs-muhnt] / ɛmˈbær əs mənt /

NOUN

humiliation, shame

Synonyms

STRONGEST

chagrin confusion difficulty dilemma mess mistake unease

STRONG

awkwardness bashfulness bind clumsiness complexity destitution discomfiture discomposure disconcertion distress fix hitch indebtedness indiscretion inhibition mortification pickle pinch plight poverty predicament puzzle quandary scrape self-consciousness shyness snag stew strait tangle timidity uneasiness

WEAK

awkward situation boo-boo egg on face faux pas hot seat hot water impecuniosity

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm order organization pleasure solution

STRONG

advantage benefit blessing boldness boon convenience ease good fortune happiness peace

WEAK

comfort confidence

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A strike at SoFi Stadium would be an embarrassment for Los Angeles as it gears up to host eight World Cup matches, the 2027 Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

For the Spurs players, the instant exuberance was understandable, but embarrassment should have quickly descended on them as they listened to their supporters chanting "We Are Staying Up".

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Growing up in a south Asian family in Leicester, Ranvia remembers the embarrassment she felt at not being able to dress the same way as her high school friends.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Despite his public embarrassment and supposed fall-off, he’s still the most-streamed rapper on Earth.

From Salon • May 21, 2026

Nhamo, burning with embarrassment, gathered up the dishes and fled.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Vocabulary lists containing embarrassment

Emotions on Display

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Much Ado: Synonyms for "Many"

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"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 1

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