as in uncomfortable
causing embarrassment
an embarrassing failure of memory inauspiciously marked my first appearance as an actor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in confusing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
the modest young soldiers were embarrassed by the public praise for their heroism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impeding
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
a lot of this paperwork is unnecessary and just embarrasses the organization
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in complicating
to make complex or difficult
claims that the new government regulations will needlessly embarrass the operations of small businesses in the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of embarrassing
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
Various visa issues created unnecessary and embarrassing drama; high ticket prices and transportation issues were blamed for empty seats at some of the early games.
—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
The Game 4 defeat – the no-silver-lining, embarrassing 6-1 loss – left a particularly rancid taste in everyone’s mouth.
—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for embarrassing
Adjective
Before inning’s end, the Giants put together one more embarrassing sequence.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
Various visa issues created unnecessary and embarrassing drama; high ticket prices and transportation issues were blamed for empty seats at some of the early games.
—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Verb
Lutnick's voluntary closed-door interview comes amid a monthslong procession of powerful people summoned before the committee, many of whom have been subjected to embarrassing revelations in the more than 3 million pages of records known as the Epstein files.
—
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
The Game 4 defeat – the no-silver-lining, embarrassing 6-1 loss – left a particularly rancid taste in everyone’s mouth.
—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for embarrassing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrassing
Adjective
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Runcie is sharply attuned to the vast uncomfortable grey areas of gender and power relations, navigating them with wry, revelatory observations that are devastatingly acute.
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That observation carries an uncomfortable implication for executives.
Verb
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Why People Misunderstand This Intelligence The first mistake people make is confusing integrative intelligence with being broadly knowledgeable.
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Having said that, conversations might be confusing today.
Verb
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Florida’s sanctuary city laws forbid local governments from impeding ICE from doing its job, such as by not sharing information with the federal government.
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Fifteen people, most of them Minnesotans, were arrested and charged last week, accused of impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Verb
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Scientists have not even fully determined which pollutants pose the greatest risks to firefighters, further complicating a choice.
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Opponents, however, see the measure as overly reliant on standardized testing that doesn’t account for complicating factors like poverty, class size and access to resources.
Adjective
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Human bodies were like animals’ The few medical instruments of the revolutionary era were heavy in the hand, awkward in use and imprecise to maneuver.
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In its place are itty-bitty bands that still keep your flats or heels in place, just with less of a chance of awkward tan lines.
Verb
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Just last year, the Trust for Public Land scored the city way down at 90th out of 100 cities, the kind of mortifying ranking usually occupied in other categories by Mississippi (sorry, Mississippi).
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Baby Reindeer was hardly a laugh riot, but mortifying humor is still humor and, with episodic running times in the 30-minute range, the show had a charging, unpredictable momentum.
Verb
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Critics argue that the approach risks hampering Europe’s competitiveness.
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The sanctions are hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.
Verb
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But there were also perplexing moments that punctured the gravitas of the event (even for an event built around hand-to-hand combat).
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That none of this has ever been clear to Gisèle is perplexing even to her.
Cite this Entry
“Embarrassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrassing. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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