embarrassing 1 of 2

adjective

im-ˈber-ə-siŋ How to pronounce embarrassing (audio)
Definition of embarrassingnext
as in uncomfortable
causing embarrassment an embarrassing failure of memory inauspiciously marked my first appearance as an actor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

embarrassing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of embarrass
1
as in confusing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress the modest young soldiers were embarrassed by the public praise for their heroism

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2
as in hampering
to create difficulty for the work or activity of a lot of this paperwork is unnecessary and just embarrasses the organization

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3
as in complicating
to make complex or difficult claims that the new government regulations will needlessly embarrass the operations of small businesses in the state

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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 embarrassing
Adjective
And this is an indelible stain on the country of Norway, and those people that made such a disgraceful and embarrassing decision. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2026 What’s most embarrassing is that Alexis can’t even commit to storming off. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
Things escalate as the two share a car ride home from a fancy gala and the bad man yells at her for embarrassing him. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026 Neither party acted on it; Republicans wanted to avoid embarrassing Trump, while Democrats wanted to avoid embarrassing Nancy Pelosi, whose husband is an active trader. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for embarrassing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrassing
  1. uncomfortable
  2. confusing
  3. hampering
  4. complicating
  5. awkward
  6. mortifying
  7. impeding
  8. perplexing
Adjective
  • This defense needs to find a way to make quarterbacks uncomfortable without becoming blitz crazy, and that means Chop Robinson, Josh Uche and Malik Herring must step up and win more of their 1-on-1 assignments.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The dispute raised uncomfortable questions about the limits of political expression on a concert stage — questions Sheeran did not directly address Saturday night.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Verb
  • Bill Belichick has made a Hall of Fame career on confusing young quarterbacks.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The crowd even includes Sam, who has a fun moment catching up with Roy and confusing him with an observation that sounds like it was inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Kyiv sees this as an attempt to pressure it into concessions by hampering its aerial defense and military operations.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Virus-carrying midges are hampering deer season in South Dakota, where an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease has prompted South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks to issue deer license refunds.
    — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of hampering
Verb
  • Further complicating the government's efforts to bring the French deficit under control are nationwide student protests, which have rippled outward from Paris since late September.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike a conventional ballistic missile’s warhead, a hypersonic glide vehicle is built to maneuver during flight, potentially complicating an opponent’s efforts to track and intercept it.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of complicating
Adjective
  • The latest unit retains the same first six forward ratios as the outgoing Carrera T’s manual transmission, but ditches its predecessor’s somewhat awkward and largely superfluous seventh gear.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Unsurprisingly, writers have developed a myriad of strategies and tricks to push through this awkward stage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of awkward
Verb
  • The film approaches its health crisis with amazing balance and breadth, resulting in a mortifying conflict that feels uniquely global in scale.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Just last year, the Trust for Public Land scored the city way down at 90th out of 100 cities, the kind of mortifying ranking usually occupied in other categories by Mississippi (sorry, Mississippi).
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Definition of mortifying
Verb
  • Rucker says crews arrived to find flames inside the building, but racks inside were impeding their movement and eventually blocked their exits, leading two firefighters to suffer burns.
    — Ashley Grams, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The insects tunnel their way into the trunk, impeding the tree’s water and nutrient supply and killing it within a year.
    — Jennifer Oldham, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of impeding
Verb
  • Gibson Nash, 21, was charged with first-degree murder after a series of perplexing events eventually led police to his mother’s bloodied body.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • But there were also perplexing moments that punctured the gravitas of the event (even for an event built around hand-to-hand combat).
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2026
Definition of perplexing

Browse Nearby Words

embarrasses
embarrassing
embarrassment
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Cite this Entry

“Embarrassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrassing. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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