Embarrass (verb) = to cause someone to feel awkward, self-conscious, ashamed, or uncomfortable, especially in social situations; to make someone feel foolish or inadequate in front of others; to create difficulties or complications for someone.

“Embarrass” describes causing that universally unpleasant feeling of social discomfort, awkwardness, or shame — usually when attention is drawn to something unflattering, foolish, or inappropriate about you, especially in front of others. Being embarrassed makes you want to disappear, hide, or change the subject immediately.

Embarrassment typically involves a social element — you’re embarrassed in front of people, not alone. Tripping in public embarrasses you; tripping alone at home doesn’t. The presence of witnesses amplifies the discomfort. When you embarrass someone, you’re making them feel exposed, inadequate, or foolish in a social context.

Common causes of embarrassment include social mistakes (saying something inappropriate, forgetting someone’s name), physical mishaps (spilling food, wardrobe malfunctions), being corrected publicly, or having private matters revealed. Parents often embarrass their children — teenagers especially find parental behavior mortifying. Children can embarrass parents by saying honest but inappropriate things in public.

The word can be used reflexively — “I embarrassed myself” means you did something that caused your own embarrassment. “Don’t embarrass yourself” is a warning not to do something that will make you look foolish.

There’s also a financial/political meaning: to embarrass someone can mean to create difficulties or complications for them, particularly in formal contexts. “The scandal embarrassed the government” means it created political problems and awkwardness, not necessarily shame.

The related adjective is “embarrassed” (feeling the discomfort), “embarrassing” (causing the discomfort), and the noun is “embarrassment” (the feeling itself or a source of shame).

Examples from the street:

• “My dad embarrassed me by telling childhood stories at my wedding” → my father caused me social discomfort by revealing personal anecdotes at my ceremony
• “I embarrassed myself by calling the teacher ‘Mom’ in front of the class” → I caused my own awkwardness by using the wrong term before everyone
• “Don’t embarrass him by mentioning his failed business in front of his friends” → avoid making him feel ashamed by discussing his unsuccessful venture before his companions

2. Most Common Patterns

• embarrass someone → cause someone to feel socially uncomfortable
• embarrass yourself → do something that causes your own shame or awkwardness
• be/feel embarrassed → experience social discomfort or shame
• embarrass someone in front of + people → cause awkwardness before witnesses
• embarrass someone by + action → cause discomfort through specific behavior
• don’t embarrass + person → warning not to cause someone social discomfort
• easily embarrassed → prone to feeling awkward or self-conscious

3. Idioms

Note: There are no common idioms directly containing “embarrass” — these are related expressions:

• die of embarrassment → feel extremely embarrassed; wish to disappear from awkwardness (hyperbolic)Example: “When I realized I’d been wearing my shirt inside out all day, I could have died of embarrassment.”
• red in the face → visibly embarrassed; showing physical signs of shame or awkwardnessExample: “She went red in the face when they announced her mistake to everyone.”

4. Example Sentences

1. My mother embarrassed me by showing baby photos to my new girlfriend→ My parent caused me social discomfort by displaying childhood images to my romantic partner.
2. He embarrassed himself by loudly correcting the professor’s pronunciation→ He caused his own awkwardness by publicly challenging the instructor’s speech.
3. Please don’t embarrass me in front of my colleagues→ Please avoid making me feel awkward before my work associates.
4. Children can embarrass parents by repeating private conversations in public→ Young people can cause guardians discomfort through revealing confidential discussions to strangers.
5. I felt deeply embarrassed when I forgot the client’s name during introductions→ I experienced significant awkwardness when I couldn’t recall the customer’s identity while making presentations.
6. The scandal embarrassed the entire organization→ The controversy created difficulties and shame for the whole institution.
7. She’s easily embarrassed and blushes at the slightest attention→ She quickly feels self-conscious and shows physical signs with minimal focus on her.
8. His crude jokes embarrassed everyone at the formal dinner→ His inappropriate humor made all attendees uncomfortable at the official meal.
9. Don’t embarrass yourself by arguing with the referee→ Avoid causing your own shame through disputing with the official.
10. The team’s poor performance embarrassed their loyal fans→ The squad’s bad showing caused disappointment and discomfort for their devoted supporters.

5. Personal Examples

1. Teachers must be careful not to embarrass students when correcting their mistakes publicly→ Instructors should take care to avoid making learners feel awkward when addressing errors before classmates.
2. I once embarrassed myself by mispronouncing a common word during a presentation to colleagues→ I previously caused my own discomfort by saying a frequent term incorrectly while speaking to coworkers.

6. Register: Neutral

✔ Native usage tips

• “Embarrass” works in both casual and formal contexts — it’s universally understood
• The feeling of embarrassment is universally relatable, making the word very common
• “Embarrass yourself” is extremely common for self-caused awkwardness
• “Don’t embarrass me” is a common plea, especially from teenagers to parents
• “Easily embarrassed” describes people who frequently feel self-conscious
• The double-r and double-s spelling trips up many writers (embarrass, not embarass)
• “Mortified” is a stronger synonym for extremely embarrassed
• The adjective “embarrassing” describes situations that cause the feeling

✔ Similar expressions / words

• Humiliate → cause someone to feel ashamed and foolish; stronger and more cruel than embarrass
• Mortify → cause severe embarrassment or shame; more intense than embarrass
• Make someone uncomfortable → cause unease; broader and less specific than embarrass