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
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Recent Examples of embarrassing
Tashan Reed, New York Times, 28 July 2025
During his lone 2024 debate with Trump, then-President Biden struggled to finish complete thoughts, fumbled over words and made several embarrassing gaffes.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Chris Martin has been the talk of social media this weekend after an embarrassing jumbotron moment during a Coldplay concert caught the CEO of Astronomer and its head of human resources cozying up.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2025
Turns out all the world needed to heal the cultural divide — temporarily, at least — was a Coldplay concert in Boston, a jumbotron and an embarrassing moment for a tech CEO and his top human resources executive.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for embarrassing
Adjective
During halftime of an embarrassing loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Allen and new head coach Mike Ditka got into an explosive argument that had to be broken up by players.
—Tashan Reed, New York Times, 28 July 2025
During his lone 2024 debate with Trump, then-President Biden struggled to finish complete thoughts, fumbled over words and made several embarrassing gaffes.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Chris Martin has been the talk of social media this weekend after an embarrassing jumbotron moment during a Coldplay concert caught the CEO of Astronomer and its head of human resources cozying up.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2025
Turns out all the world needed to heal the cultural divide — temporarily, at least — was a Coldplay concert in Boston, a jumbotron and an embarrassing moment for a tech CEO and his top human resources executive.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for embarrassing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrassing
Adjective
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But the odd tone of their recent fight when Miranda comments on Carrie’s flirtation with her writer neighbor Duncan (Jonathan Cake) is uncomfortable.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
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For marketers, this is both exciting and uncomfortable.—
Francesca Pezzoli,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Mehta highlighted how business units stow data, impeding cross-functional collaboration.—
Christer Holloman,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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The slow development of hydrogen fueling infrastructure remains a critical challenge, impeding widespread adoption.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The house was a little awkward and needed some work, including in the living room, which had a mix of original wood flooring and vinyl.—
Thomas Fuller,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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Once Mercury goes direct on Aug. 11, the awkward conversations or delays with friends or teammates start to smooth out.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Disruptions in the ratio, like when there’s too much estrogen vs. testosterone, can cause unpleasant symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, and fatigue.—
Caitlin Pagán,
Verywell Health,
1 Aug. 2025
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Tribalism can and does spill over into much more unpleasant areas, from basic name-calling to more insidious abuse.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Some students may face family challenges that affect their ability to get to school, and some changes to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, such as its move to online instead of paper form, could be difficult for students who only access computers at school, Maldonado said.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Diana knew her dress' 25-foot-long train was difficult to handle and let her young bridesmaids know it.—
Stephanie Petit,
People.com,
29 July 2025
Verb
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The young actor has a disconcerting awareness of the roiling potential of his changing body.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
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Even without Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota’s size remains disconcerting to the Nuggets, especially when Aaron Gordon is out.—
Bennett Durando,
The Denver Post,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The robot also managed to get up from a face-up position, even with a bag obstructing its view.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2025
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Stay High and Dry To avoid obstructing impressive scenery, a hog-wire railing framed in wood wraps this deck, which is set high above the water.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This is a disturbing statistic and speaks to an increase in the total number of people defacing themselves, but also a rise in the amount of ink per person.—
Scott Liftman,
Boston Herald,
25 July 2025
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The board of the Regional Transportation Authority met Friday to discuss ways to respond to the cut, striking a note of optimism to counter the disturbing prediction for Tri-Rail’s future.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Embarrassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrassing. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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