EMBARRASSING

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does embarrassing mean? 

• EMBARRASSING (adjective)
  The adjective EMBARRASSING has 2 senses:

1. hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment

2. causing to feel shame or chagrin or vexation

  Familiarity information: EMBARRASSING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EMBARRASSING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment

Synonyms:

awkward; embarrassing; sticky; unenviable

Context example:

in the unenviable position of resorting to an act he had planned to save for the climax of the campaign

Similar:

difficult; hard (not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Causing to feel shame or chagrin or vexation

Synonyms:

embarrassing; mortifying

Context example:

it was mortifying to know he had heard every word

Similar:

unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)

 Context examples 

Does he/she do things that are embarrassing to you or others?

(NPI - Seem to Act Impulsively Without Thinking, NCI Thesaurus)

Emma was extremely glad to see him—but there was a degree of confusion—a number of embarrassing recollections on each side.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Such was the famous Lord John Roxton as he sat opposite to me, biting hard upon his cigar and watching me steadily in a long and embarrassing silence.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Her two absent cousins, especially Maria, were much in her thoughts on seeing him; but no embarrassing remembrance affected his spirits.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

"Tip-of-the-tongue moments are very noticeable. They are irritating and embarrassing," said lead researcher Katrien Segaert, a psychology lecturer at the University of Birmingham in England.

(Exercise May Help Seniors with Word, Memory Problems, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Of course, it would be a painful half hour for him, and an embarrassing half hour for her, because it would be her first proposal.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I couldn't, it was so embarrassing for me.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Examples of common phobias include fear of spiders, flying in an airplane, elevators, heights, enclosed rooms, crowded public places, and embarrassing oneself in front of other people.

(Phobia, NCI Dictionary)

The influence of fresh objects and fresh air, however, was of great use in dissipating these embarrassing associations; and, having reached the ornamental part of the premises, consisting of a walk round two sides of a meadow, on which Henry's genius had begun to act about half a year ago, she was sufficiently recovered to think it prettier than any pleasure-ground she had ever been in before, though there was not a shrub in it higher than the green bench in the corner.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Such and such-like were the reasonings of Sir Thomas, happy to escape the embarrassing evils of a rupture, the wonder, the reflections, the reproach that must attend it; happy to secure a marriage which would bring him such an addition of respectability and influence, and very happy to think anything of his daughter's disposition that was most favourable for the purpose.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)