ə̇mˈbarəs, em- also -ber- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: French embarrasser, from Spanish embarazar, from Portuguese embaraçar, probably from em- (from Latin im- in- (II)) + baraça noose, rope
1.
a. : to place in doubt, perplexity, or difficulties
the Government was again embarrassed from within party ranks by a political speech — Current Biography
too often preciosity and aimless verbiage embarrass the thought and confuse the emotion — Mathurin Dondo
b. : to involve (as a person or his affairs) in difficulties concerning money matters
we believe the company will be seriously embarrassed if it does not get this loan
heavy gambling losses embarrassed him for years
the estate was embarrassed by the prospect of heavy death duties
c. : to cause to experience a state of self-conscious distress : abash
their frank discussion of his looks embarrassed the boy
it embarrasses many people to walk into a room full of strangers
d. : to impair the activity of (a bodily function)
his digestion was embarrassed by overeating and irregular hours
or the function of (a bodily part)
the congestion of pneumonia embarrasses the lungs
2. : to hamper or impede the movement or freedom of movement of (as a person)
a man who refused to let physical handicaps embarrass him
often : hamper , impede
embarrassed our freedom of movement
our progress was embarrassed by mountains of baggage
they counted on the spring rains to embarrass the advance of the enemy
3. : to make intricate : complicate
a course of legislation had prevailed … which weakened the confidence of man in man, and embarrassed all transactions between individuals — John Marshall
the courts … were not established to … enable a few to harass and embarrass sovereign action by the government — F.D.Roosevelt
Synonyms:
discomfit , abash , disconcert , rattle , faze : embarrass is likely to implicate an agency or influence checking and hampering free choice or action, often with accompanying chagrin, confusion, and loss of face
in immense flood of litigation, which seriously embarrassed the courts — T.F.T. Plucknett
the problems of food, shelter, and sanitation for the impoverished veterans embarrassed Washington, and there was latent danger of disorder — J.M.Hanson
the southern housewife is not unduly embarrassed by an unexpected guest — American Guide Series: North Carolina
discomfit implies hampering or frustrating and also chagrining, causing loss of self-possession, and confusing
Bradley's polemical irony and his obvious zest in using it, his habit of discomfiting an opponent with a sudden profession of ignorance, or inability to understand, or of incapacity for abstruse thought — T.S.Eliot
she may heckle the dealer, add a running commentary to the demonstrations, or just assume a discomfiting smugness — Fortune
abash suggests the calling up of feelings of shyness, unworthiness, diffidence, shame, and loss of self-pride through some vexation or check
she would feel abashed before any woman who had not been rejected like herself — Rebecca West
as abashed as a child interrupted in his game of make-believe — Rudyard Kipling
disconcert implies a bringing about of confused uncertainty and hesitation in proceeding or of loss of composure and assurance
I was disconcerted to find that they were locked. I stood there irresolute and uneasy like a baffled thief — Joseph Conrad
watched the beautiful young man with her solemn unwinking stare that disconcerted self-conscious people — Rose Macaulay
rattle suggests an utter loss of poise, composure, and accustomed control of a situation, along with disorganization of wonted mental powers
that means that Freddy is rattled out of his senses — John Buchan
rattled by hypothetical eyes spying upon her — Jean Stafford
when other advisers became rattled, Mr. Adams was calm — Tris Coffin
faze applies to loss of assurance, face, and confidence brought about by a check, retort, sudden difficulty
it hit Marciano flush on the right side of the jaw, but it didn't seem to faze him a bit — A.J.Liebling
he had ice water in his veins. Nothing fazed him, not insult or anger or violence or getting his face beat into a hamburger — R.P.Warren