embarrass
[em-bar-uh s]
- to cause confusion and shame to; make uncomfortably self-conscious; disconcert; abash: His bad table manners embarrassed her.
- to make difficult or intricate, as a question or problem; complicate.
- to put obstacles or difficulties in the way of; impede: The motion was advanced in order to embarrass the progress of the bill.
- to beset with financial difficulties; burden with debt: The decline in sales embarrassed the company.
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- to become disconcerted, abashed, or confused.
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Origin of embarrass
1665–75; < French embarrasser < Spanish embarazar < Portuguese embaraçar, equivalent to em- em-1 + -baraçar, verbal derivative of baraço, baraça cord, strap, noose (of obscure origin)
Synonyms
See more synonyms for embarrass on Thesaurus.com1. discompose, discomfit, chagrin. 3. hamper, hinder.
Synonym study
1. See confuse.
Embarras
or Em·barrass
[am-braw]
- a river in E Illinois, flowing S and SE to the Wabash River. 185 miles (298 km) long.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for embarrass
Contemporary Examples
After almost five months without a solution, the lack of initiative is starting to embarrass the Lebanese government.
The mass dump suggests that whoever did this, their primary motivation was to embarrass Sony Pictures.
The final question we should ask: are they pursuing justice and the rule of law, or merely silencing those who embarrass them?
Much of the praise of Pence is in this vein—he will not embarrass us.
Nothing to see, just Republican witch hunts designed to embarrass the president and perhaps land blows against Hillary Clinton.
Historical Examples
However, he was not embarrassed; it took a great deal to embarrass him.
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
I would give it to you in the original, but it might embarrass you; it certainly would me.
The UnderdogF. Hopkinson Smith
I asked him for it; but the question appeared to embarrass him.
Homeward BoundJames Fenimore Cooper
In the meantime, Rougon's triumph was beginning to embarrass him.
The Fortune of the RougonsEmile Zola
This pointed question seemed to embarrass Mr. Parker greatly.
Thankful's InheritanceJoseph C. Lincoln
embarrass
- (also intr) to feel or cause to feel confusion or self-consciousness; disconcert; fluster
- (usually passive) to involve in financial difficulties
- archaic to make difficult; complicate
- archaic to impede; obstruct; hamper
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Word Origin
C17: (in the sense: to impede): via French and Spanish from Italian imbarrazzare, from imbarrare to confine within bars; see en- 1, bar 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for embarrass
v.
1670s, "perplex, throw into doubt," from French embarrasser (16c.), literally "to block," from embarras "obstacle," from Italian imbarrazzo, from imbarrare "to bar," from in- "into, upon" (see in- (2)) + Vulgar Latin *barra "bar."
Meaning "hamper, hinder" is from 1680s. Meaning "make (someone) feel awkward" first recorded 1828. Original sense preserved in embarras de richesse (1751), from French (1726): the condition of having more wealth than one knows what to do with. Related: Embarrassed; embarrassing; embarrassingly.
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embarras
n.
1660s, from French embarras "obstacle;" see embarrass.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper