How to use embarrassment in a sentence

40 example sentences · noun

Embarrassment means a state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation. Example: “Jack, you are an embarrassment to this family.”

Examples of embarrassment by meaning

nounA state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation.

Anyone who doesn't stop teasing immediately upon producing real embarrassment, anger or tears is not really teasing.1998 February 22, Judith Martin, “Tease and sympathy”, in The Washington Post

nounA person or thing which is the cause of humiliation to another.

Jack, you are an embarrassment to this family.
Losing this highly publicized case was an embarrassment to the firm.
The audacious hijacking in Paris of a van carrying the baggage of a Saudi prince to his private jet is obviously an embarrassment to the French capital, whose ultra-high-end boutiques have suffered a spate of heists in recent months.2014 August 21, “A brazen heist in Paris [print version: International New York Times, 22 August 2014, p. 8]”, in The New York Times

nounA large collection of good or valuable things, especially one that exceeds requirements or causes some sort of...

There are over 5,000 Americans now in Paris, many artists, singers, musicians, writers, and actors, so many, indeed, the committee could hardly pick a program from an embarrassment of volunteers.1914, Collier's, page 30
The landscape presented an embarrassment of riches for the industrial archaeologist, and eighteenth- and nineteenth-century remains were still visible in abundance1996, David Morgan Evans, Peter Salway, David Thackray, The Remains of Distant Times: Archaeology and the National Trust, Boydell & Brewer...
At one time, I reflected, we'd had an embarrassment of good, qualified squad leader—ready men in the platoon.2013, Frank Boccia, The Crouching Beast: A United States Army Lieutenant's Account of the Battle for Hamburger Hill, May 1969, McFarland...

nounA group of pandas (ie. red panda, giant panda).

In Wolong, the captive panda population has increased from just eight bears to 330-the largest embarrassment of pandas in the world.2023, Gloria Dickie, Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future, W. W. Norton
A string of somebody’s little ponies, an embarrassment of pandas, enough dayglow neon to blow out an eardrum and a round of heavy, wet snow contributed Sunday to a rousing first round of closing days for Aspen mountains.2018 April 18, David Krause, “Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk end season with parties, bacon. Lots of bacon”, in The Aspen Times, archived from...

More sentences with embarrassment

Andy trumpeted Jane's secret across the school, much to her embarrassment.From the entry trumpet
Embarrassment washed over me as I realized I had forgotten the notes for my presentation.From the entry wash over
After tripping, Sara tried to play her embarrassment off by laughing with everyone else.From the entry play off
He managed to show a bold face despite his embarrassment.From the entry face
She grinned pleasure at his embarrassment.From the entry grin
I shuffled my feet in embarrassment.From the entry shuffle
Gravy stains down your shirt are not a source of embarrassment; they are a badge of honour.2025 February 20, Jay Rayner, “This is my final OFM column. Here’s what I’ve learned about buffets, ‘clean eating’ and what not to serve…. From the entry scuzziest
It’s all been a dreadful embarrassment, but why should anyone outside Germany be concerned?2022 September 23, Jason Farago, “The World’s Most Prestigious Art Exhibition Is Over. Maybe Forever.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN. From the entry pacesetter
Her words were as cool as ever, but there was a hint of embarrassment in her voice.2021, Rifujin na Magonote, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, Volume 11, unnumbered page. From the entry kuudere
And then there is this overlooked gem 😖, is that derpiness, embarrassment, or inebriation?2021 February, Mimi Winsberg, quoting Alison, Speaking in Thumbs: A Psychiatrist Decodes Your Relationship Texts So You Don’t Have To…. From the entry derpiness
Meanwhile the theybies hit piece from Carlson is an embarrassment to journalism.2018 July 23, Carbon, “A Theory of Trump Kompromat”, in rec.sport.golf (Usenet). From the entry theyby
The country's traditional mores have sparked recent ideological battles, as well as a few national embarrassments.2013 May 3, Dean Van Nguyen, “Why Ireland Has Lagged Behind the Rest of Europe on Reproductive Rights”, in The Atlantic, archived from the…. From the entry mores
The word means ‘hamlet people’ though its mere mention usually draws instant embarrassment.2011, Peter McGill, “Short Cuts”, in London Review of Books, 33.VII. From the entry burakumin
A shanda is humiliation and embarrassment one's misdeed suffers upon one's family.2011, Teddy Bart, Shadow Seduction, →ISBN, page 171. From the entry shanda
Rubbing its nose in the dirt, the embarrassment it caused, sheer snookery was the message.2010, Ed Lane, A Circling of Vultures, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: FastPrint Publishing, →ISBN, page 256. From the entry snookery
With trepidation, but not embarrassment, I offer the thought that Mrs.2008 January 12, Conrad Black, “A nation seeking a hero”, in National Post, Canada. From the entry callipygian
The error here is to confuse British composure with the appearance of bafflement, embarrassment and reserve.2008, Chris Rojek, Brit-Myth: Who Do the British Think They Are?, Reaktion Books, →ISBN. From the entry bafflement
The hurt, embarrassment, and shock of a breakup was something I had never planned on facing.2005, Christine Hassler, 20-Something, 20-Everything, page xvii. From the entry unplan
“What can you give me for it?” he asks the woman behind the counter, with some embarrassment.1998 June 14, Elaine Showalter, “In Search of Female Identity”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company…. From the entry free-lover
It is noted that vicarious embarrassment does not necessarily indicate the presence of an embarrassed other.1996, Rom Harré, W. Gerrod Parrott, editors, The Emotions: Social, Cultural and Biological Dimensions, SAGE, →ISBN, page 124. From the entry vicarious embarrassment
In the results reported in both studies, embarrassment, in general, does not occur unless self-referential behavior exists.1991, Michael Lewis, Margaret Wolan Sullivan, Catherine Stanger, Maya Weiss, “Self Development and Self-conscious Emotions”, in Stella…. From the entry self-referential
They will do everything possible to test us, but they will only test their own embarrassment.1990, The Hunt for Red October, →OCLC. From the entry potential
When Hel shrugged and changed the subject diplomatically, the nape of Diamond's neck horripilated with embarrassment.1979, Trevanian [pseudonym; Rodney William Whitaker], Shibumi, New York, N.Y.: Crown Publishers; republished as Shibumi: A Novel, New…. From the entry horripilate
Classmates naturally turn to look at the backbencher, who must acknowledge his presence, with some embarrassment.1978, Ralph Canada, Charles Cheatham, Tony Licata, Surviving the first year of law school, page 37. From the entry backbencher
I should have sensed the waves of embarrassment she was radiating.1960, “My Affair with a Weekly”, in The North Carolina Miscellany, published 2012, →ISBN, page 209. From the entry mirate
Toong Cheong spoke more rapidly now, and urgency and embarrassment reduced his speech to essential semantemes.1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 53. From the entry semanteme
Its suddenness left me temporarily speechless; the embarrassment of Duare was only too obvious.1932, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter XII, in Pirates of Venus, published 1934. From the entry contretemps
This causes embarrassment for both, or all, people concerned, and reflects discreditably on the hostess.1921, Lillian Eichler, Book of Etiquette. From the entry discreditably
"I am glad I happened to reach him," he said, in an effort to relieve her embarrassment.1913, Will N. Harben, The Desired Woman. From the entry nip and tuck
She made her innocent bow, and retired without a suspicion that she had been an embarrassment.1907, “Mark Twain's Fables of Man”, in John S. Tuckey, editor, Little Nelly Tells a Story Out of Her Own Head, University of California…. From the entry get a grip
"You're an embarrassment to your wolfly ancestors," muttered the earl, though the corners of his mouth twitched up-ward.2021, Andrea Penrose, Murder at Queen's Landing. From the entry wolfly

Meaning of embarrassment

noun A state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation.
noun A person or thing which is the cause of humiliation to another.
noun A large collection of good or valuable things, especially one that exceeds requirements or causes some sort of hindrance.

Full definition of embarrassment

Questions about embarrassment in a sentence

How do you use embarrassment in a sentence?: Embarrassment is used as a noun. For example: “Jack, you are an embarrassment to this family.”
What is a short sentence with embarrassment?: “I shuffled my feet in embarrassment.”
What does embarrassment mean?: Embarrassment means a state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation.

Adapted from Wiktionary: embarrassment (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use embarrassment in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/embarrassment. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.