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embarrass

[ em-bar-uhs ]
/ ɛmˈbær əs /
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See synonyms for: embarrass / embarrassed / embarrassing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
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.
verb (used without object)
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)

synonym study for embarrass

1. See confuse.

OTHER WORDS FROM embarrass

em·bar·rassed·ly [em-bar-uhst-lee, -uh-sid-lee], /ɛmˈbær əst li, -ə sɪd li/, adverbem·bar·rass·ing·ly, adverbpre·em·bar·rass, verb (used with object)un·em·bar·rassed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use embarrass in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for embarrass

embarrass
/ (ɪmˈbærəs) /

verb (mainly tr)
(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

Derived forms of embarrass

embarrassed, adjectiveembarrassedly, adverb

Word Origin for embarrass

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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