Library / English Dictionary

EMBARRASS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious

Synonyms:

abash; embarrass

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "embarrass" is one way to...):

discomfit; discompose; disconcert; untune; upset (cause to lose one's composure)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "embarrass"):

confuse; disconcert; flurry; put off (cause to feel embarrassment)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

Sam cannot embarrass Sue

The performance is likely to embarrass Sue

Derivation:

embarrassment (some event that causes someone to be embarrassed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of

Example:

His brother blocked him at every turn

Synonyms:

block; blockade; embarrass; hinder; obstruct; stymie; stymy

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "embarrass" is one way to...):

forbid; foreclose; forestall; preclude; prevent (keep from happening or arising; make impossible)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "embarrass"):

stonewall (obstruct or hinder any discussion)

filibuster (obstruct deliberately by delaying)

check (block or impede (a player from the opposing team) in ice hockey)

hang (prevent from reaching a verdict, of a jury)

bottleneck (slow down or impede by creating an obstruction)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

All the time he kept smiling and putting his tongue out in the most guilty, embarrassed manner, so that a child could have told that he was bent on some deception.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

A question about whether an individual is or has been embarrassed by their eating habits.

(Embarassed by My Eating Habits, NCI Thesaurus)

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

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

She was soon convinced that it was not for herself she was feeling at all apprehensive or embarrassed; it was for him.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A question about whether an individual is or was embarrassed about their illness.

(Embarrassed by Illness, NCI Thesaurus)

Ikeega was proud and embarrassed by turns, but Keesh was quite composed.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

"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)

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)

Johnson looked puzzled and embarrassed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Mrs. Harker had sent a message by her husband to say that she would not join us at present, as she thought it better that we should be free to discuss our movements without her presence to embarrass us.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)