embarrassing
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
Explanation
Use the adjective embarrassing to describe something that is shameful or humiliating. You probably have a few embarrassing stories that you'd rather not remember, but your siblings are always happy to bring them up at holidays. It's really embarrassing how many people misspell embarrassing. The word has two r's and two s's but you might forget and leave one of them out. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if you were winning the third grade spelling bee and got the word embarrassing wrong. You know everyone would be talking about it. How embarrassing!
Vocabulary lists containing embarrassing
Awkward Moments
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Schooled
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Neighborhood Odes
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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.
And because we’re journalists, we tested it since printing thousands of copies of a design that doesn’t work would require a historic and embarrassing correction none of us would fully recover from.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026
The new head coach referred to the negativity surrounding Spurs as he attempted to mount a late salvage operation and avoid the prospect of the most embarrassing relegation in Premier League history.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
They did it the hard way, coming from behind with two late goals to edge past Championship high-flyers Southampton and avoid an embarrassing defeat.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
“A lot of people think it’s embarrassing or taboo to talk about mental health.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
He nodded and got excited in that embarrassing way parents get when they try to Be Involved in Their Kids’ Lives and also possibly try to Distract Them from Their MIA Mother.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
