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.
For the 2023 champions to even be in this situation was pretty embarrassing, needing a win on the final day of the group stage just to make the playoffs, with automatic qualification long gone. Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 30 Jan. 2025 The funding pause was the most embarrassing of Trump’s walkbacks. Philip Elliott, TIME, 29 Jan. 2025 There’s something embarrassing about being hunted down by a gangster who calls himself Leftie and runs around with a henchman called Lonnie. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Jan. 2025 The experts agree that the documents are more likely to reveal embarrassing details about intelligence failures rather than concrete evidence of a conspiracy. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025 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 5 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on embarrassing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!