Emotions / B1

im-BAR-uh-sm-uh-nt/ɪmˈbærəsmənt/

Embarrassment is awkward shame, or a thing that causes it: an embarrassment for the department; hide your embarrassment. Embarrassed/embarrassing are already in the dictionary. Shame can be stronger and moral. Uncountable for the feeling; a countable embarrassment for a public mess. Leaked emails as an embarrassment.

Meaning

A feeling of being awkward or ashamed; also something that causes that feeling.

Examples

• “The leaked email was an embarrassment for the department.”
• “She laughed to cover her embarrassment in the oral exam.”

Good to know

an embarrassment for; hide embarrassment. Adjectives: embarrassed / embarrassing. Stronger: shame. Countable: a public embarrassment. Orals: cover embarrassment.

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