embarrassed

embarrassed — 形容詞

1. feeling uncomfortable and slightly ashamed after doing or saying something that

1.形容詞B1
釋義

尷尬的

因失言或失態而感到難為情

feeling uncomfortable and slightly ashamed after doing or saying something that makes you look silly or awkward, especially when other people notice it.

例句

Jude felt embarrassed when he called his teacher 'Mom' in front of the whole class.

Jude 在全班同學面前把老師叫成「媽媽」，覺得很尷尬。

felt embarrassed when... — past-tense social-faux-pas scenario

Hari gave an embarrassed laugh after tripping over his own backpack in the hallway.

Hari 在走廊上被自己的背包絆倒，尷尬地笑了一下。

embarrassed + noun — attributive use before a noun

同義詞
  • self-conscious

    focuses on feeling watched or judged by others, not necessarily after a mistake

  • awkward

    emphasises the social discomfort itself rather than the emotional reaction

  • mortified

    much stronger intensity; suggests extreme humiliation

反義詞
  • proud

    opposite feeling of positive self-regard in a social situation

文法句型

be + embarrassed

feel + embarrassed

too + embarrassed + to-infinitive

embarrassed + about / by / at

用法筆記

Distinguish from ashamed: embarrassed describes the discomfort of an awkward social situation, while ashamed involves a deeper feeling of guilt or moral failure. Compare 'I felt embarrassed when I tripped in the hallway' with 'I felt ashamed of my dishonest answer.'

常見錯誤

❌I was so embarrassed for my bad grades that I hid the report.' (if feeling guilt).
✅I was ashamed of my bad grades.
💡Use ashamed when the feeling involves guilt or regret about a personal failure, not just social awkwardness.

2. not having enough money to pay for basic things or to cover what you need, often

2.形容詞B2
釋義

拮据的

手頭緊、沒錢的

not having enough money to pay for basic things or to cover what you need, often only for a short period.

例句

After the expensive car repairs, Adina was embarrassed and could not afford groceries that week.

修車花了一大筆錢之後，Adina 手頭很緊，那個星期連買食物的錢都沒有。

was embarrassed + could not afford — clearly signalled financial context

The school club was embarrassed for funds and had to cancel its annual trip.

學校社團經費短缺，不得不取消一年一度的旅行。

embarrassed for funds — fixed collocation

同義詞
  • broke

    more common and informal; implies a more serious lack of money

  • short

    less dramatic — means not quite enough, often temporary

  • strapped

    colloquial; suggests a tight budget rather than complete lack

反義詞
  • well-off

    describes someone who has plenty of money

  • comfortable

    suggests a secure financial position without excess

文法句型

be + embarrassed

find + oneself + embarrassed

embarrassed + for + noun (funds / money / cash)

用法筆記

This sense is informal and far less common than the 'feeling awkward' sense. The financial meaning is always signalled by context — words like funds, cash, afford, bills, or payday in the same sentence make the meaning clear. It is not used before a noun (an embarrassed person cannot mean a broke person in this sense).

常見錯誤

❌I am embarrassed this month.' (ambiguous).
✅I am embarrassed for cash this month.
💡Always add context (funds, money, cash) so readers know you mean the financial sense, not the social one.