Embarrass Meaning
/ɪmˈbæɹəs/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbto humiliate; to disrupt somebody's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely; to abash.
verbTo disrupt someone's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely.
Sentence Examples
But showing off the presents could embarrass the guests who did not bring one.
Tom didn't want to embarrass Mary.
Tom just doesn't want me to embarrass him.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Please do not ____ me by singing loudly in the quiet library.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I did not want to ____ him by mentioning his small mistake.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Akkadian 𒆟 (rakāsum) Akkadian 𒄙 (markasu)bor. Classical Syriac ܡܰܪܫܳܐ (maršā)bor. Arabic مَرَسَة (marasa)der. Old Galician-Portuguese baraço Old Galician-Portuguese embaraçarbor. Old Spanish embaraçar Spanish embarazarbor. French embarrasserbor. English embarrass Borrowed from French embarrasser, from Middle French embarrasser, embarasser (“to embarrass; to block, obstruct”), from Spanish embarazar, either from Italian imbarazzare or from Portuguese embaraçar.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"If they [registers] act It all, it must be by opposing their flat surfaces to the current of rising smoke in a manner which cannot fail to embarrass and impede its motion.."
— 1796, Benjamin Count of Rumford, “Of Chimney Fire-places”, in Essays, Political, Economical and Philosophical, page 330:
"This will... be the principal part of education; and this alone will effectively dispel that theological philosophy, which, in its decline, is still powerful enough to embarrass the course both of intellectual and social progress."
— 1896, The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, Frederic Harrison, page 418, volume 3:
"In the case at bar, there is very little beyond bare assertions and bald statements against the unidentified and unspecified Defendant(s). The claim is vexatious in that the Defendant, if identifiable, is left both embarrassed and unable to defend itself. The Court is left with a proceeding so ill-defined that it is unable to discern an argument, or identify any specific material facts."
— 2004 October 15, Judith A. Snider, “kisikawpemootewin v. Canada, 2004 FC 1426”, in CanLII, retrieved 07 Nov 2020:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Please do not ____ me by singing loudly in the quiet library.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I did not want to ____ him by mentioning his small mistake.