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.

Tlaib loosened the room immediately, teasing her teenage niece, calling her “the future” while the girl shrank in embarrassment.

From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026

The 77-year-old king grimaced in mock embarrassment as Trump turned to look at him, then waved as if to say carry on -- which Trump did.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Some have been found to have blown large amounts investing in outright fraud, in a scandal so bad that even JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has admitted embarrassment.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026

The game is an embarrassment of riches for trivia buffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

This created a public relations embarrassment of sorts—and a legal hurdle.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

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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