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” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,041. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,041
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A state of discomfort arising from bashfulness or consciousness of having violated a social rule; humiliation.

Corpus desk

Index EN-embarrassment · embarrassment · English

embarrassment · rank #10,041 · 17 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #10,041
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH drowning

Nearest frequency peer: drowning (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “embarrassment”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “embarrassment” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
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.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around embarrassment (IPA /ɪmˈbæɹ.əs.mənt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #10,041 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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)

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how embarrassment appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The desired effect [of affectionate teasing] is a look of pleasurable embarrassment, as if you administered a compliment. Anyone who doesn't stop teasing immediately upon producing real embarrassment, anger or tears is not really teasing.
  2. Jack, you are an embarrassment to this family.

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "embarrassment", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

fundamentally#10,053communicating#10,017commissioners#10,016developmental#9,874

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

prohibition17 variantsrecognizing17 variantssupermarket17 variantsparticipant17 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "embarrassment". Here's where to go from here.

  • 17 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #10,041 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "E" letter cohort. E–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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