embarrassment

/ɪmˈbærəsmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈbærəsmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /im-ˈber-əs-mənt -ˈba-rəs-/ (ame, mw)

embarrassment — noun

  • embarrassmentsingular
  • embarrassmentsplural

1. the awkward, uncomfortable, or self-conscious feeling that arises after you do s

1.名詞B1
釋義

the awkward, uncomfortable, or self-conscious feeling that arises after you do something clumsy in a social setting, or when your faults or mistakes are exposed to other people

例句

Esme felt a deep embarrassment after she accidentally sent the private email to all staff.

uncountable: felt + embarrassment; describes the feeling

Walid tried to hide his embarrassment by quickly changing the subject.

hide + embarrassment; common collocation

同義詞
  • shame

    stronger moral or ethical weight; embarrassment is milder and usually social

  • humiliation

    implies a deliberate act by someone else that makes you feel inferior in public

  • awkwardness

    focuses on social discomfort rather than a sense of exposure or fault

  • mortification

    much stronger; suggests extreme, almost unbearable embarrassment

反義詞
  • pride

    a feeling of satisfaction and worth, the opposite of shame or social discomfort

  • confidence

    self-assurance in social situations, free of the self-doubt that causes embarrassment

文法句型

embarrassment + about + noun/gerund

sense/feeling + of embarrassment

用法筆記

This sense can be uncountable when referring to the feeling itself (e.g. 'She blushed with embarrassment') or countable when referring to a specific event that causes the feeling (e.g. 'The whole situation was an embarrassment'). The fixed phrase 'to one's embarrassment' is a common sentence adverb meaning 'causing one to feel embarrassed.'

常見錯誤

❌I felt embarrassment of my mistake.
✅I felt embarrassed about my mistake.
💡After linking verbs like 'feel', use the adjective 'embarrassed' instead of the noun 'embarrassment'.
❌She tried to avoid the embarrassment.
✅She tried to avoid embarrassment.
💡When referring to the general feeling, 'embarrassment' is uncountable and does not take an article.

2. a situation in which you have so many good or desirable options that choosing on

2.名詞C1
釋義

a situation in which you have so many good or desirable options that choosing one becomes difficult — used only in the fixed expression 'an embarrassment of riches'

例句

The city's restaurant scene offers an embarrassment of riches, with over sixty cuisines to choose from.

fixed phrase: an embarrassment of [riches / good options]

The jury faced an embarrassment of riches when all twelve shortlisted films were excellent.

同義詞
  • abundance

    neutral term for a large quantity, without the 'difficulty-to-choose' nuance

  • overabundance

    suggests too much of something, often with a mildly negative tone

  • surplus

    practical, economic term; lacks the positive-desirable connotation of 'embarrassment of riches'

反義詞
  • dearth

    a scarce or insufficient supply; the opposite of abundance

  • shortage

    practical term for a lack of something needed

文法句型

an embarrassment of + plural noun phrase

用法筆記

Almost exclusively appears in the fixed phrase 'an embarrassment of riches.' The noun 'riches' is rarely replaced with other words, though creative variations (e.g. 'an embarrassment of choices') occur in informal writing. Always singular and preceded by 'an.' This is an idiom-like sense, not a productive grammatical pattern.

常見錯誤

❌The shop had an embarrassment of customers.
✅The shop had an embarrassment of riches.
💡'Riches' is the standard noun used in this fixed phrase; substituting other nouns sounds unnatural.
❌There were embarrassments of choices.
✅There was an embarrassment of choices.
💡The phrase is always singular, even though it describes a plural situation.

3. a person who, through their actions, appearance, or circumstances, makes the gro

3.名詞B2
釋義

a person who, through their actions, appearance, or circumstances, makes the group they belong to feel ashamed, uncomfortable, or socially let down

例句

The politician's outdated remarks made him an embarrassment to his entire party.

an embarrassment + to + [group]

Despite his success abroad, the athlete became an embarrassment to the nation after the scandal.

同義詞
  • disgrace

    stronger moral condemnation; implies the person has brought shame through serious wrongdoing

  • shame

    similar to disgrace, often used in family contexts ('a shame to the family')

  • liability

    focuses on the practical problems the person causes rather than the social discomfort

反義詞
  • asset

    a person who brings value and pride to a group

  • credit

    a person whose behaviour brings honour and respect

文法句型

be + an embarrassment + to + noun phrase

be + an embarrassment + for + noun phrase

用法筆記

Always used as a countable noun with an article or determiner ('an embarrassment,' 'a bit of an embarrassment'). The person described is typically seen as letting down a group they belong to — family, team, political party, or nation. The tone is strongly negative and often expresses disappointment or frustration.

常見錯誤

❌He is embarrassment to his family.
✅He is an embarrassment to his family.
💡In this sense, 'embarrassment' is always countable and needs an article ('a'/'an').
❌She is an embarrassment person.
✅She is an embarrassment to the team.
💡'Embarrassment' is a noun, not an adjective; use the preposition 'to' to connect the person to the affected group.