verb
embarrass
ihm-BA-ruhs
verb
1
To make someone feel awkward, ashamed, or self-conscious, often in front of others.
"His father embarrassed him by singing loudly in the restaurant."
"The mistake embarrassed the whole department."
2
To cause financial or practical difficulty for someone.
"The unexpected costs embarrassed the small business badly."
How to Use Embarrass
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cause someone to feel awkward or ashamed, usually in a public or social situation.
Common mistake
Commonly misspelled with only one "r" or one "s" — remember it's double "r" and double "s": em-barr-ass.
Common pairings
embarrass yourself
embarrass someone publicly
deeply embarrassed
Word Forms
embarrassed past tense, embarrasses singular
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Etymology
From French embarrasser, borrowed from Spanish embarazar, ultimately linked to a word meaning "bar" or "obstacle" — the original sense was to obstruct or hinder.