How to pronounce embarrassing
Say it like im-BER-uh-sing. Embarrassing has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce embarrassing. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- im
- BER
- uh
- sing
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Embarrassing pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- imKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- BERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- singKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of embarrassing
American and British speakers say embarrassing in essentially the same way: /ɪmˈbɛrəsɪŋ/ in the US and /ɪmˈbærəsɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: im-BAR-uh-sing.
What does embarrassing mean?
- hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment“awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion”“an awkward pause followed his remark”
- causing to feel shame or chagrin or vexation“the embarrassing moment when she found her petticoat down around her ankles”“it was mortifying to know he had heard every word”
Where does embarrassing come from?
By surface analysis, embarrass + -ing.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying embarrassing
How do you pronounce embarrassing?
Say im-BER-uh-sing. The American pronunciation is /ɪmˈbɛrəsɪŋ/. In British English it is /ɪmˈbærəsɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in embarrassing?
Embarrassing has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BER). Broken into parts: im · BER · uh · sing.
Do Americans and Brits say embarrassing the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪmˈbɛrəsɪŋ/ and the British form is /ɪmˈbærəsɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.