embarrassing

adjective

em·​bar·​rass·​ing im-ˈber-ə-siŋ How to pronounce embarrassing (audio)
-ˈba-rə-
: causing a feeling of self-conscious confusion and distress : causing embarrassment
an embarrassing error
The official was ever so polite, and ever so sorry, but the rule was strict, and he could not let us in. It was very embarrassing, for many eyes were on us.Mark Twain
embarrassingly adverb
an embarrassingly messy house

Examples of embarrassing in a Sentence

an embarrassing failure of memory inauspiciously marked my first appearance as an actor
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Some people find the flushing and other symptoms of rosacea to be embarrassing, while hot flashes stemming from menopause can significantly lower quality of life. Sarah Hudgens, Health, 20 Dec. 2024 But the result was an embarrassing 30-7 home loss in which Baker Mayfield mocked the entire Giants organization by doing DeVito’s touchdown symbol aggressively toward the crowd. Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024 That included Sunday’s embarrassing home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first game this season in which the Chargers looked over matched. Jay Paris, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 Trump has a long history of using litigation as an effective weapon against the media, and ABC’s decision was widely seen as an effort to avoid a lengthy and potentially embarrassing battle for the network in court. Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for embarrassing 

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of embarrassing was in 1778

Dictionary Entries Near embarrassing

Cite this Entry

“Embarrassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embarrassing. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on embarrassing

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