# embarrass

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪmˈbæɹ.əs/ · frequency rank #16,898

## Definitions
1. to humiliate; to disrupt somebody's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely; to abash.
2. To hinder from liberty of movement; to impede; to obstruct.
3. To involve in difficulties concerning money matters; to encumber with debt; to beset with urgent claims or demands.
4. To perplex mentally; confuse, disconcert; catch off guard.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French embarrasser, from Middle French embarrasser, embarasser (“to embarrass; to block, obstruct”), from Spanish embarazar, either from Italian imbarazzare or from Portuguese embaraçar.

## Easily confused with
- **embarrassed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/embarrass-vs-embarrassed)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ebmarrass`, `emabrrass`, `embararss`, `embarass`, `embarras`, `embarrsas`, `embbarrass`, `embrarass`, `emmbarrass`, `mebarrass`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/embarrass