ˌred-ˈfaced BrE AmE adjective
embarrassed or ashamed:
Red-faced officials ordered an investigation into the accident.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ embarrassed feeling uncomfortable or nervous and worrying about what people think of you, for example because you have made a silly mistake, or because you have to talk or sing in public:
I was really embarrassed when I arrived at the party an hour early.
|
There’s no need to be embarrassed – you’ve got a lovely voice.
▪ self-conscious embarrassed about your body or the way you look or talk:
Paul had always been self-conscious about his big feet.
▪ uncomfortable unable to relax because you are embarrassed and not sure what to say or do:
There was a long silence and everyone at the table looked uncomfortable.
▪ awkward /ˈɔːkwəd $ ˈɒːkwərd/ feeling embarrassed because you are in a situation in which it is difficult to behave naturally:
Teenagers often feel awkward in formal social situations.
|
There were some awkward moments when neither of us knew what to say to each other.
▪ sheepish slightly embarrassed because you know that you have done something silly or because you feel a little guilty:
Nigel came in late looking sheepish and apologetic.
▪ red-faced embarrassed or ashamed – used mainly in newspaper reports:
A judge was left red-faced when his mobile phone rang in court.
▪ mortified [not before noun] extremely embarrassed and ashamed because you realize that you have done something very silly or wrong:
He said he was mortified at the way his comments had been reported in the papers.