embarrassed
gb/ɪmbˈɛɹəst/ us/ɪmbˈɛɹəst/
A2
English
~ 5600
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
state
1
feeling ashamed or uncomfortable
Feeling shy, uncomfortable, or a little ashamed because of something that happens or something you did.
Usage pattern:
to be/feel embarrassed about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'embarrassed' with 'ashamed' or 'shy'. 'Embarrassed' is usually about a specific moment or situation (for example, making a mistake in public). 'Ashamed' is often stronger and more moral (for example, lying to a friend). 'Shy' is more about personality and how someone usually feels with other people. Many learners also say *'I feel myself embarrassed'*; the natural form is 'I feel embarrassed' or 'I am embarrassed.'
Synonyms
ashamed (Stronger sense of moral guilt or doing something wrong, while 'embarrassed' can be about small social mistakes.)
|
self-conscious (Focuses on being very aware and worried about how others see you, not always because of a mistake.)
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awkward (Often describes the situation rather than the person’s feeling, but overlaps when you feel socially uncomfortable.)
|
mortified (Much stronger and more dramatic than 'embarrassed'; suggests extreme shame.)
|
flustered (Adds a sense of nervous confusion, not just social shame.)
Antonyms
confident (Describes feeling sure and relaxed, the opposite of shy and uncomfortable.)
|
at ease (Means feeling relaxed and comfortable in a situation, not awkward or embarrassed.)
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unselfconscious (Not worried about how you look or what others think, the opposite of feeling embarrassed.)
Collocations
feel embarrassed
|deeply embarrassed
|too embarrassed to [verb]
|embarrassed silence
|embarrassed laugh
|be embarrassed about [something]
Themes
emotions
|social
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I felt really embarrassed when I forgot her name for the third time.
- He looked embarrassed when everyone started singing happy birthday to him.
- She was too embarrassed to ask the teacher to repeat the question.
- There was an embarrassed silence after his joke failed.
- They were embarrassed about the mess in their living room.
Learner examples
- I am embarrassed about my bad test score.
- She felt embarrassed when she dropped her drink.
- He was too embarrassed to dance in front of his friends.
- We were embarrassed because we came very late.
- The boy looked embarrassed when the class laughed.
adjective
B2
state
2
in financial difficulty
Having money problems or not having enough money, usually for a short time.
Usage pattern:
to be financially embarrassed
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is about feeling shy or socially uncomfortable with money, but here 'embarrassed' describes the financial situation itself, not an emotion. This sense is usually used together with 'financially' or words like 'debtor', 'company', or 'borrower', not about everyday small money worries.
Synonyms
short of money (Common everyday phrase; directly describes not having enough money without any formal tone.)
|
cash-strapped (Informal; often used for people, companies, or organizations that do not have enough money at the moment.)
|
hard up (Informal; suggests being quite poor or in serious money trouble.)
|
strapped (Very informal; usually in expressions like 'strapped for cash'.)
Antonyms
well-off (Describes people who have plenty of money, the opposite of being in financial difficulty.)
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flush (Informal; means having a lot of money available at the moment.)
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financially secure (Stresses having stable, safe finances, not needing to worry about money.)
Collocations
financially embarrassed
|embarrassed borrower
|embarrassed company
|embarrassed debtor
|embarrassed by debt
Themes
business
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company is financially embarrassed after several bad investments.
- Many financially embarrassed students rely on part-time jobs to pay their rent.
- He admitted he was embarrassed by debt and asked the bank for more time.
- The charity offers advice to families who are financially embarrassed.
- An embarrassed borrower may avoid calls from the bank.
Learner examples
- My uncle is financially embarrassed after losing his job.
- The shop became embarrassed by debt and had to close.
- Some students are financially embarrassed and cannot pay for books.
- The company is financially embarrassed and cannot pay all its bills.
- They were embarrassed by money problems for several months.
Grammar
Dictionary form
embarrassed
IPA
GB/ɪmbˈɛɹəst/
US/ɪmbˈɛɹəst/
Syllables & stress
em - bar - rassed (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (bar)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: embarrassed
- Comparative: embarrasseder
- Superlative: embarrassedest
Word family
Forms
embarrasseder
adjective
embarrassedest
adjective
Core family
Related words
embarrassingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unembarrassed
adjective
Expressions
be embarrassed by
1/bˈi ɪmbˈɛɹəst bˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
feel embarrassed because of someone/something
To feel shy, uncomfortable, or ashamed because of a person or thing.
Examples
- He was embarrassed by his parents’ loud singing.
- They felt embarrassed by the comments on social media.
embarrassed silence
1/ɪmbˈɛɹəst sˈaɪləns/
fixed phrase
silence caused by embarrassment
A quiet moment when nobody speaks because they feel uncomfortable or ashamed.
Examples
- There was an embarrassed silence after he told the story.
- Her question was followed by an embarrassed silence in the room.
financially embarrassed
1/fɪnˈænʃəli ɪmbˈɛɹəst/
fixed phrase
in financial trouble
Having money problems or not having enough money, usually for a time.
Examples
- Many financially embarrassed families are asking for support.
- The firm is financially embarrassed and needs new investors.
too embarrassed to
1/tˈu ɪmbˈɛɹəst tə/
fixed phrase
so embarrassed that you cannot act
So embarrassed that you do not want to or cannot do something.
Examples
- She was too embarrassed to ask for help.
- He felt too embarrassed to speak in front of the class.
be embarrassed about
1/bˈi ɪmbˈɛɹəst əbˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
Feel ashamed about something
To feel bad or shy because of something you did or have.
Examples
- She was embarrassed about her poor performance.
- She is embarrassed about her accent when she speaks English.
- I’m embarrassed about forgetting his name.
- I was embarrassed about the mistake in my email to my boss.