embarrassment
Pluralembarrassments (some meanings)
- 1The uncomfortable feeling you get when you do something silly or wrong in front of other people.
Like wanting to hide your face after everyone sees you slip.
He felt deep embarrassment after tripping in front of the whole class.
Her face went red with embarrassment when she forgot his name.
Similarhumiliation, shame, mortification, awkwardness, discomfort
Note
- 2A person or thing that makes someone else feel ashamed or look bad.
Like a big stain on your shirt that everyone can see.
Her rude behavior made her an embarrassment to the family.
The losing team became an embarrassment to the whole school.
Similardisgrace, shame, humiliation
Oppositecredit
Note
- 3A very large amount of good things, so many that they are hard to deal with.
Like having so much food on your plate that you can't finish it.
The team had an embarrassment of skilled players to choose from.
With so many job offers, she faced an embarrassment of good choices.
Similarabundance, wealth, surplus, profusion, glut
Oppositedearth, shortage, scarcity, lack
Note
- 4A state of being confused or unsure, when you stop because you do not know what to think.
Alone at the fork in the trail with no map, she stood in embarrassment, unsure which path led home.
She answered after a moment of embarrassment, uncertain which fact was correct.
Similarconfusion, perplexity, uncertainty, hesitation, bewilderment
Note
- 5When a body part cannot work properly because of illness.
Like an engine that runs badly because one part is broken.
Doctors worried about embarrassment of the lungs as the infection spread.
The swelling caused embarrassment of the airway, making it hard to breathe.
Similarimpairment, compromise, distress
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Less common meaning
- 6Money troubles that mean you do not have enough to pay what you owe.
Like having an empty wallet when all the bills are due.
After the failed harvest, the family fell into deep embarrassment and could not pay the rent.
His business losses left him in financial embarrassment for years.
Similarhardship, difficulty, poverty, insolvency
Note
Practice
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Origin
It comes from the word "embarrass" plus the ending "-ment."