embarrass

== English == === Etymology === 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. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American without the Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA(key): /ɪmˈbæɹəs/ (General American with the Mary–marry–merry merger, Canada) IPA(key): /ɪmˈbɛɹəs/, /ɛm-/ (Scotland, Wales) IPA(key): /ɪmˈbaɾəs/ Hyphenation: em‧bar‧rass Rhymes: -æɹəs === Verb === embarrass (third-person singular simple present embarrasses, present participle embarrassing, simple past and past participle embarrassed) (transitive) To disrupt someone's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:abash (transitive) To hinder from liberty of movement; to impede; to obstruct. (transitive) To involve in difficulties concerning money matters; to encumber with debt; to beset with urgent claims or demands. (transitive, formal) To perplex mentally; confuse, disconcert; catch off guard. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === “embarrass”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 === Further reading === “embarrass”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “embarrass”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “embarrass”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.