embarrassment
Meaning
A complex emotional state characterized by feelings of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness, often arising from a perceived failure or social blunder, which can lead to a desire to withdraw from the situation or to seek reassurance from others.
💡 While "embarrassment" is often used in everyday contexts, it can also denote deeper psychological implications in formal discussions, particularly in social psychology, where it may relate to issues of identity and self-perception.
Example Sentences
Word in Context
During
a
small
meeting
,
Sarah
accidentally
called
the
client
by
the
wrong
name
and
felt
a
sudden
flash
of
embarrassment
.
For
a
moment
she
was
so
self
-
conscious
that
her
voice
wavered
and
she
avoided
eye
contact
with
the
others
around
the
table
.
She
managed
to
make
a
quick
,
sincere
apology
and
then
tried
to
lighten
the
mood
with
a
brief
,
self
-
deprecating
joke
.
One
colleague
laughed
gently
and
another
offered
a
reassuring
smile
,
which
helped
defuse
the
awkwardness
in
the
room
.
By
the
end
of
the
discussion
she
had
regained
her
composure
and
the
team
moved
on
to
the
next
agenda
item
without
dwelling
on
the
mistake
.
Common Phrases
acute embarrassment
public embarrassment
social embarrassment
Related Words
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