1
as in confusion
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable
experienced the great embarrassment of tripping while on stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
a big suitcase filled with clothes proved to be more an embarrassment than a convenience on my trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of embarrassment
The best play by a Clevelander in the second half belonged to Kelce, who shotgunned one of his Garage beers, to the mild embarrassment of his famous fiancée.
—
Esfandiar Baraheni, New York Times, 24 May 2026
My grandma, on the other hand, is furious and is urging us not to tell people due to possible embarrassment or questions.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Blue Dot Fever symptoms include a visible rash of unsold Ticketmaster seats (shown as blue dots on the seat maps), an artist’s red face from the embarrassment of having to cancel shows, and disappointed fans.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
And, of course, Knowledge Is Power embarrassment is always fun.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for embarrassment
Esfandiar Baraheni, New York Times, 24 May 2026
My grandma, on the other hand, is furious and is urging us not to tell people due to possible embarrassment or questions.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Blue Dot Fever symptoms include a visible rash of unsold Ticketmaster seats (shown as blue dots on the seat maps), an artist’s red face from the embarrassment of having to cancel shows, and disappointed fans.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
And, of course, Knowledge Is Power embarrassment is always fun.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for embarrassment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embarrassment
Noun
-
Experts said the announcement is sparking confusion and uncertainty among many, including potentially thousands in Chicago.—
Victor Jacobo,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
-
The confusion isn’t limited to consumers.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Another obstacle is that the group hasn’t secured a stadium site.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
Black entrepreneurs continue to face tremendous obstacles securing funding, city contracts and institutional support.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Footage showing kneeling detainees sparks outrage from Israel’s foreign minister, rights advocates and governments in Italy, Turkey and Greece, who accuse Israel of abuse, humiliation and damaging its international standing.—
Natalie Melzer,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
-
Cuba has been a thorn in the side of the United States for decades, notably including the humiliation of then-President Kennedy over the Bay of Pigs debacle in 1961.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Newport Harbor multi-event standout Natalie McCarty qualified in the 100 and 300 hurdles.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
24 May 2026
-
Iran is moving its World Cup training base from Tucson to Tijuana, the president of the country’s soccer federation said Saturday, removing one of the final hurdles to its participation in this summer’s tournament.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
The combined disgust, discomfort, ignorance, and fascination with our Indigeneity that unsettled my aunties and fascinated my cousins made more sense to me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Jansen had previously experienced discomfort in his right groin after an April 15 outing against the Royals.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Mailyan is due to be sentenced on September 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and five years in prison for each count of obstruction.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
-
Washington, under Trump, views this not as an independent initiative but as an obstruction, and is increasingly willing to use tariffs, energy threats, and diplomatic pressure to bring Paris back into line.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The constant movement might make some audience members dizzy, yet its jitteriness signifies the anxiety and unease of the characters, both in their skin and with each other.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
25 May 2026
-
All that party infighting — present before every primary, but at a fever pitch now — comes against a backdrop of broader voter unease about the war in Iran, volatile oil and gas prices, and the burgeoning threat of AI to the American workforce.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Lee questioned the home plate umpire about the interference call.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
-
Through exquisite timing to track the arrival of photons from each telescope, essentially all the light soaked up by the entire array can be combined to make interference patterns from which images can be extracted.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Embarrassment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embarrassment. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
