embarrass

[ em-bar-uhs ]
/ ɛmˈbær əs /

verb (used with object)

to cause confusion and shame to; make uncomfortably self-conscious; disconcert; abash: His bad table manners embarrassed her.
to make difficult or intricate, as a question or problem; complicate.
to put obstacles or difficulties in the way of; impede: The motion was advanced in order to embarrass the progress of the bill.
to beset with financial difficulties; burden with debt: The decline in sales embarrassed the company.

verb (used without object)

to become disconcerted, abashed, or confused.

Origin of embarrass

1665–75; < French embarrasser < Spanish embarazar < Portuguese embaraçar, equivalent to em- em-1 + -baraçar, verbal derivative of baraço, baraça cord, strap, noose (of obscure origin)

synonym study for embarrass

1. See confuse.

OTHER WORDS FROM embarrass

em·bar·rassed·ly [em-bar-uhst-lee, -uh-sid-lee] /ɛmˈbær əst li, -ə sɪd li/, adverb em·bar·rass·ing·ly, adverb pre·em·bar·rass, verb (used with object) un·em·bar·rassed, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for unembarrassed

British Dictionary definitions for unembarrassed (1 of 2)

unembarrassed
/ (ʌnɪmˈbærəst) /

adjective

not embarrassed, disconcerted, or flustered

British Dictionary definitions for unembarrassed (2 of 2)

embarrass
/ (ɪmˈbærəs) /

verb (mainly tr)

(also intr) to feel or cause to feel confusion or self-consciousness; disconcert; fluster
(usually passive) to involve in financial difficulties
archaic to make difficult; complicate
archaic to impede; obstruct; hamper

Derived forms of embarrass

embarrassed, adjective embarrassedly, adverb

Word Origin for embarrass

C17: (in the sense: to impede): via French and Spanish from Italian imbarrazzare, from imbarrare to confine within bars; see en- 1, bar 1