3 syllables: em, bar, rassed. Stress on bar.
/ɪmˈbæɹəst/
Say it backEmbarrassed describes a feeling of self-conscious shame or awkwardness in response to a real or imagined social judgment. It commonly arises from a social misstep or exposure, triggering physical cues like blushing and fidgeting. The term denotes a temporary emotional state, often accompanied by desire to retreat or apologize, and is used across formal to informal contexts.
"She looked embarrassed after knocking over the vase in front of her guests."
"He felt embarrassed about forgetting the speaker’s name during the introduction."
"The comedian’s joke landed awkwardly, leaving the audience embarrassed for the rest of the show."
Pronounce as /ɪmˈbær.əst/ (US/UK: em-BAR-est, with the first syllable a relaxed schwa + short i). The stress is on the second syllable: BAR. The second syllable is a weak /ə/ and the final /st/ is crisp. Mouth: start with a light /ɪ/ in the first syllable, then raise the mid-front vowel to /æ/ in the stressed syllable, end with a clear /st/. Audio reference: imagine saying the word slowly as em-BAR-usted; for exact audio, consult pronunciation resources like Forvo or Cambridge dictionary entry.
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing stress as em‑BAR‑rassed with incorrect double emphasis; ensure primary stress on the second syllable. 2) Slurring the first unstressed vowel to a full /ɜ/ or /ɪ/ making it sound like em-BER-ust; instead keep a light /ɪ/ and a reduced /ə/ in the third syllable. Corrections: say /ɪmˈbær.əst/ with clear /æ/ in the stressed syllable and minimal vowel length in the final /ə/.
US: /ɪmˈbær.əst/, rhotic but often with clear reduced final vowel; UK: /ɪmˈbær.əst/ with less rhoticity and slightly tighter /æ/; AU: similar to UK but may have a more open /æ/ and a more clipped /t/ or /d/ depending on speaker, sometimes a light /ɪ/ in the first syllable. Stress remains on the second syllable across major varieties; vowel qualities vary subtly with regional vowel shifts.
Because it combines a stressed mid-front vowel in a closed syllable with a reduced second vowel and a final /st/, which can trip non-native speakers who expect more vowel clarity. The interior /æ/ in the stressed syllable requires precise tongue height and jaw position, while the /ə/ in the third syllable must be quick and relaxed. Also, the sequence em- + bar- + -ed leads to a predictable but tricky rhythm, so practice helps align syllable timing.
No, the 'arr' is not a separate syllable; the word is typically three syllables: em-bar-rassed perceived as em-BAR-ist in fast speech, but the actual phonotactics: /ɪmˈbær.əst/. The 'rr' sequence is not a doubling of r; in most dialects, the r is not pronounced with a strong trill but produces rhotic quality without creating an extra syllable. Keep the sequence tight and avoid an extra consonant or extra vowel.
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Embarrassed comes from the French word embarasser, meaning to block or obstruct, itself from em- (in, into) + barasser (to burden or press down). The early English adoption maintained the sense of impediment or hindrance, evolving through Middle English to describe social awkwardness. The word’s form solidified in the 18th–19th centuries, aligning with the rise of polite society where social missteps and the resulting blush or self-conscious reaction became common descriptors. The suffix -ed marks the past participle/adjective form, aligning with other emotional states such as surprised, pleased, or bored. The root ‘embarra-’ is cognate with words indicating obstruction or hindrance, while the modern sense centers on affective reaction to social scrutiny. First uses in English literature appear in the 1700s, with the word becoming increasingly common in both formal and colloquial registers as social norms and etiquette gained prominence.
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Words that rhyme with "embarrassed"
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