embarrassment

/ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt/

//ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"embarrassment" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“embarrassment” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,041 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#10,041
frequency rank, English
13
letters
17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation.

Key facts for embarrassment
PropertyValue
Headwordembarrassment
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt/
Letters13
Frequency rank#10,041
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “embarrassment” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). embarrassment lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for embarrassment is 13 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,041 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for embarrassment, with forms such as "ebmarrassment", "emabrrassment", and "embararssment". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From embarrass + -ment. The correct English form is embarrassment, spelled E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation.
  2. 2
    A person or thing which is the cause of humiliation to another.
  3. 3
    A large collection of good or valuable things, especially one that exceeds requirements or causes some sort of hindrance.
  4. 4
    A state of confusion; hesitation; uncertainty.
  5. 5
    Impairment of function due to disease: respiratory embarrassment.
  6. 6
    Difficulty in financial matters; poverty.
  7. 7
    A group of pandas (ie. red panda, giant panda)

Etymology

From embarrass + -ment.

This word in other languages

vergüenza(Español)embarras(Français)Verlegenheit(Deutsch)vergonha(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ebmarrassment,emabrrassment,embararssment,embarassment,embarrasment,embarrasmsent,embarrassemnt,embarrassmennt,embarrassmentt,embarrassmetn,embarrassmment,embarrassmnet,embarrsasment,embbarrassment,embrarassment,emmbarrassment,mebarrassment

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of embarrassment - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ebmarrassment2emabrrassment2embararssment2embarassment1embarrasment1embarrasmsent2embarrassemnt2embarrassmennt1
Edit distance from "embarrassment"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "embarrassment"?
"embarrassment" is spelled E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt/.
What does "embarrassment" mean?
As a noun, "embarrassment" means: A state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation.
What are common misspellings of "embarrassment"?
Common misspellings include "ebmarrassment", "emabrrassment", "embararssment", "embarassment", "embarrasment". The correct spelling is "embarrassment".
How do you pronounce "embarrassment"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "embarrassment" is /ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "embarrassment"?
From embarrass + -ment. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “embarrassment”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-M-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list