Embarrassing Meaning
/ɪmˈbæɹ.ə.sɪŋ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbpresent participle and gerund of embarrass
nounThe action of the verb to embarrass; embarrassment.
Sentence Examples
My stomach started growling right there in the meeting. It was embarrassing.
This is the most embarrassing moment of my life.
CEFR Practice Quiz
His loud voice echoing in the silent library was very ____ for everyone nearby.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It was an ____ moment when he spilled juice on his shirt.
Word Origin & History
By surface analysis, embarrass + -ing.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. No one queried it. It was in the classic pattern of human weakness, mean and embarrassing and sad."
— 1963, Margery Allingham, “Eye Witness”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 249:
"“Barack Obama wrote the Epstein files? LOL. This is outright embarrassing,” Candace Owens wrote on X."
— 2025 July 16, Ryan Bort and Asawin Suebsaeng, “Trump calls Epstein conspiracy a ‘hoax’ and turns on Maga ‘weaklings’”, in Rolling Stone:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
His loud voice echoing in the silent library was very ____ for everyone nearby.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It was an ____ moment when he spilled juice on his shirt.