Have you ever wondered whether embarrassment or embarassment is the correct spelling? While Embarrassment vs Embarassment may look like a tiny spelling difference, only one of these forms is considered correct in standard English.
Embarrassment is the correct spelling. Embarassment is a common misspelling that occurs because the word’s pronunciation can make it easy to forget one of the r’s. The correct form contains two r’s and two s’s: embarrassment.
Examples:
- She felt a wave of embarrassment after forgetting his name.
- His embarrassment was obvious when everyone started laughing.
The confusion is understandable. People often search for embarrassment vs embarassment, embarrassment or embarassment, which spelling is correct, or how to spell embarrassment because the incorrect version looks and sounds very close to the correct one. But here’s the kicker: adding or removing a single letter changes whether the word is spelled correctly.
In this guide, you’ll learn the complete difference between Embarrassment vs Embarassment, including their meaning, correct spelling, pronunciation, origin, and usage. You’ll also see why embarassment is incorrect, how to remember the correct spelling, and clear examples to help you avoid this common spelling mistake.
Embarrassment vs Embarassment: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Embarrassment is the standard English spelling. Embarassment is not the standard spelling and should be corrected in formal, academic, professional, and edited writing.
| Word | Correct? | Use |
| embarrassment | ✅ Correct | Standard English noun |
| embarassment | ❌ Incorrect | Common misspelling |
For example:
- ✅ She felt a wave of embarrassment when everyone looked at her.
- ❌ She felt a wave of embarassment when everyone looked at her.
The difference is small but significant. Embarassment leaves out one r.
The Correct Spelling Is Embarrassment
Spell the word this way:
E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-M-E-N-T
The important section to remember is:
RR + SS
That gives you:
embarrassment
The incorrect version looks like this:
embarassment
It has only one r after the first a.
This distinction matters because spell-checking software may catch the error in some situations, but you shouldn’t rely on software to remember the spelling for you. Once you understand the word family, the correct form becomes much easier to reproduce.
What Does Embarrassment Mean?
Embarrassment is a noun that refers to the feeling of being embarrassed or to something that causes someone to feel embarrassed.
Cambridge Dictionary defines it as the feeling of being embarrassed or something that makes you feel embarrassed. Oxford likewise defines it as shy, uncomfortable, or guilty feelings associated with being embarrassed.
In everyday language, embarrassment can happen when you suddenly become very aware of how you appear to other people.
For example, imagine walking into the wrong classroom and confidently sitting down before realizing your mistake. You might feel embarrassed. The uncomfortable feeling you experience is embarrassment.
Consider these examples:
- I couldn’t hide my embarrassment.
- She blushed with embarrassment.
- His mistake caused considerable embarrassment.
- Much to her embarrassment, everyone had heard the conversation.
- He laughed to cover his embarrassment.
The word can describe a private emotional reaction as well as a situation that causes that reaction.
Embarrassment Can Describe a Feeling
This is the most common use.
He felt deep embarrassment after realizing what he had said.
Here, embarrassment refers to his emotional state.
It can involve self-consciousness, discomfort, awkwardness, shame, or the feeling that other people are judging you.
Embarrassment Can Also Describe Something That Causes Embarrassment
The word can also refer to a person, event, situation, or thing that causes embarrassment.
For example:
The incident became an embarrassment for the company.
Here, embarrassment doesn’t simply describe someone’s internal feeling. It describes the situation or incident as something that causes difficulty or public discomfort.
Cambridge gives the construction “an embarrassment to”, as in something or someone that causes embarrassment to another person.
Why Is Embarrassment So Often Misspelled?
The spelling causes trouble because the pronunciation doesn’t make every letter obvious.
When people say embarrassment, they don’t normally pronounce each written letter separately. The middle of the word sounds relatively compressed, so it’s easy to remember the sound while forgetting one of the repeated consonants.
There’s also a second problem: English has many words where a consonant doubles when a suffix gets added, while other words don’t. That makes it difficult to rely on pronunciation alone.
The safest strategy is to remember the word’s base form:
embarrass → embarrassment
Once you know how to spell embarrass, the noun becomes much easier.
Remember the Double R
The first major spelling trap is the rr.
Correct:
embarrassment
Incorrect:
embarassment
The second form may look reasonable at first glance. That’s exactly why it appears as a common spelling error.
Remember the Double S
The word also contains ss:
embarr a ss ment
So the full pattern is:
RR + SS
A useful memory shortcut is:
Embarrass has two R’s and two S’s. Embarrassment keeps them.
That single connection can prevent several related spelling mistakes.
How to Spell Embarrassment Correctly
The easiest way to learn embarrassment isn’t to memorize the entire word as one giant string of letters. Build it from its word family.
Start with:
embarrass
Then form related words:
- embarrass
- embarrassed
- embarrassing
- embarrassment
Notice the spelling pattern.
| Word | Key spelling |
| embarrass | RR + SS |
| embarrassed | RR + SS |
| embarrassing | RR + SS |
| embarrassment | RR + SS |
The repeated letters aren’t random. They remain part of the spelling across the word family.
Use Embarrass as Your Spelling Anchor
If you’re unsure whether to write embarassment or embarrassment, don’t try to guess the noun directly.
Think of the verb:
embarrass
Then add the noun ending:
embarrass + ment = embarrassment
That makes the correct form much easier to recall.
Embarrassment Pronunciation
In US English, embarrassment is pronounced approximately:
/ɪmˈber.əs.mənt/
Cambridge lists this US pronunciation and shows the stress on the second syllable.
The pronunciation helps explain part of the spelling problem. The written word contains several consonants, but normal speech doesn’t give each letter equal prominence.
The middle portion is relatively unstressed. As a result, someone might remember the sound correctly while mentally reconstructing the spelling incorrectly.
That’s why pronunciation alone isn’t a reliable spelling guide here.
Why Pronunciation Doesn’t Reveal Every Letter
English spelling often preserves information that isn’t obvious from casual speech.
Compare:
embarrassment
with:
embarassment
When spoken naturally, the difference between one r and two r’s isn’t something you can reliably hear. The same issue appears with many English words containing silent or reduced letters.
So if you’re writing the word, rely on its spelling pattern rather than trying to spell it purely from sound.
Embarrassment in a Sentence
The noun embarrassment works naturally in many different sentence structures. Here are examples that show how native English speakers commonly use it.
Everyday Examples of Embarrassment
I could barely look at him because of my embarrassment.
She tried to hide her embarrassment by laughing.
His face turned red with embarrassment.
I still remember the embarrassment of forgetting her name.
He shrugged off the embarrassment and kept talking.
These examples treat embarrassment as an emotional response.
Embarrassment in School or Work
The word also appears frequently when someone makes a mistake in front of other people.
The incorrect presentation slide caused some embarrassment.
She felt embarrassed after giving the wrong answer, but she quickly corrected herself.
The mistake created unnecessary embarrassment during the meeting.
He tried to avoid further embarrassment by checking the figures again.
In professional writing, embarrassment can sound more formal than simply saying someone felt awkward.
Embarrassment in Social Situations
Social mistakes are one of the most familiar sources of embarrassment.
Much to my embarrassment, I had been talking to the wrong person.
She experienced considerable embarrassment when her phone rang during the ceremony.
His embarrassment was obvious when everyone started laughing.
I wanted to disappear from embarrassment.
The final example is an informal expression. It doesn’t mean the person literally wants to disappear. It emphasizes how uncomfortable the situation feels.
Embarrassment vs Embarrassed vs Embarrassing
One reason spelling mistakes happen is that several closely related words appear together.
The key forms are:
- embarrass — verb
- embarrassed — adjective or past participle
- embarrassing — adjective or present participle
- embarrassment — noun
Understanding their grammatical roles makes the word family much easier to use.
Embarrass
Embarrass is a verb meaning to cause someone to feel uncomfortable, ashamed, self-conscious, or awkward. Oxford gives the sense of making someone feel shy, uncomfortable, or ashamed, especially in a social situation.
Example:
I didn’t mean to embarrass you.
Here, embarrass describes the action of causing the feeling.
Embarrassed
Embarrassed describes the person who experiences the feeling.
I was embarrassed when I forgot his name.
The person feels embarrassment.
Embarrassing
Embarrassing describes the thing, event, action, or situation that causes the feeling.
Forgetting someone’s name can be embarrassing.
The mistake causes the uncomfortable feeling.
Embarrassment
Embarrassment names the feeling or the thing that causes it.
Forgetting his name caused me a lot of embarrassment.
A simple way to distinguish the forms is:
| Word | Part of speech | Basic role | Example |
| embarrass | Verb | Causes the feeling | Don’t embarrass him. |
| embarrassed | Adjective | Describes the person feeling it | He felt embarrassed. |
| embarrassing | Adjective | Describes what causes it | That was embarrassing. |
| embarrassment | Noun | Names the feeling or cause | She felt embarrassment. |
This distinction is useful because embarrassed and embarrassing are easy to reverse.
A person is usually embarrassed.
A situation is usually embarrassing.
For example:
I was embarrassed because the situation was embarrassing.
That sentence uses both forms correctly.
Embarrassment vs Embarassment: The Exact Letter Difference
The two spellings differ by only one letter, but that letter matters.
Correct
embarrassment
Letter pattern:
E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-M-E-N-T
Incorrect
embarassment
Letter pattern:
E-M-B-A-R-A-S-S-M-E-N-T
The incorrect version contains only one r.
Here’s the difference visually:
embarrassment ✅
embarassment ❌
The double r belongs to the spelling of embarrass, which is the word’s base form.
Is Embarassment a Word?
Embarassment is not the standard spelling of the English noun. It is best treated as a misspelling of embarrassment.
You may still encounter it online, in informal writing, user-generated content, or other unedited text. Seeing a spelling repeatedly doesn’t make it a standard variant.
When writing an email, essay, report, article, application, or professional document, use:
embarrassment
not:
embarassment
This distinction is especially important when you’re proofreading because the incorrect spelling looks plausible enough to escape a quick visual check.
Common Examples of the Embarassment Misspelling
Here are several common-looking sentences with the spelling corrected.
Incorrect
❌ I felt a lot of embarassment after making the mistake.
Correct
✅ I felt a lot of embarrassment after making the mistake.
Incorrect
❌ She couldn’t hide her embarassment.
Correct
✅ She couldn’t hide her embarrassment.
Incorrect
❌ The incident caused considerable embarassment.
Correct
✅ The incident caused considerable embarrassment.
Incorrect
❌ He laughed because he was trying to hide his embarassment.
Correct
✅ He laughed because he was trying to hide his embarrassment.
The pattern stays the same every time. If you see embarassment, check whether the missing r should be restored.
Embarrassment vs Embarassment: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Embarrassment | Embarassment |
| Standard spelling | Yes | No |
| Dictionary form | Yes | No |
| Meaning | Feeling or source of embarrassment | Intended as the same word but misspelled |
| Double R | Yes | No |
| Double S | Yes | Yes |
| Appropriate in formal writing | Yes | No |
| Base word | embarrass | — |
The most important difference is simple:
Embarrassment has two R’s.
The Word Family Helps Explain the Spelling
The spelling becomes less mysterious when you look at the related forms together.
Embarrass
The verb is:
embarrass
It contains rr and ss.
Embarrassed
Add the appropriate ending:
embarrassed
The double consonants remain.
Embarrassing
The same basic spelling appears in:
embarrassing
Again, the rr and ss stay intact.
Embarrassment
Finally:
embarrassment
The same base spelling remains recognizable.
This gives you a useful spelling chain:
embarrass → embarrassed → embarrassing → embarrassment
If you can spell the first word, you have a reliable starting point for the others.
Where Did the Word Embarrassment Come From?
The history of embarrassment also helps explain why its spelling looks unusual.
The English verb embarrass came through French and ultimately has connections to Spanish and Portuguese forms. Oxford traces embarrass to French embarrasser, Spanish embarazar, and probably Portuguese embaraçar. Oxford also notes that the word originally carried the sense of hampering or impeding someone or something.
That older idea of being blocked or hindered connects surprisingly well with the modern emotional meaning.
Etymonline dates the noun embarrassment to the 1670s in the sense of a state of being impeded, obstructed, or entangled. The emotional sense developed later, with the meaning of a mental state of unease appearing in the 18th century.
So the word didn’t begin with exactly the modern meaning of feeling awkward in front of other people. Its sense developed over time.
From Being Blocked to Feeling Awkward
The historical development is particularly interesting.
Originally, embarrass could describe a situation in which someone was hindered or obstructed. Over time, the word developed meanings associated with putting someone in an uncomfortable position.
Eventually, that sense became strongly associated with social discomfort and self-consciousness.
The modern noun embarrassment now commonly refers to that uncomfortable feeling or to something that produces it.
The basic semantic journey can be summarized as:
obstruction → difficulty → uncomfortable position → social discomfort → embarrassment
This history doesn’t change the spelling, but it gives the word more context.
Embarrassment Can Be Countable or Uncountable
Embarrassment can function as a countable or uncountable noun depending on the meaning and sentence.
When you’re talking about the general feeling, it is commonly uncountable:
She felt embarrassment.
He tried to hide his embarrassment.
When you’re referring to separate embarrassing incidents or problems, the plural embarrassments can appear.
For example:
The biography describes several embarrassments from his early career.
Cambridge’s dictionary entry includes examples of the plural embarrassments, showing that the plural form is used when referring to separate instances or difficulties.
Embarrassment as an Uncountable Noun
Use it this way when discussing the emotion or state generally:
He couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
She felt a moment of embarrassment.
The mistake caused considerable embarrassment.
Embarrassments as a Plural Noun
Use the plural when referring to multiple instances:
The book describes several public embarrassments.
The company experienced a series of embarrassing setbacks and public embarrassments.
The distinction is similar to other nouns that can refer either to a general experience or to separate events.
Common Phrases With Embarrassment
Certain expressions appear naturally with embarrassment.
With Embarrassment
She blushed with embarrassment.
This construction describes a visible reaction to the feeling.
Much to Someone’s Embarrassment
Much to his embarrassment, everyone heard the conversation.
This means the situation caused the person embarrassment.
Hide Your Embarrassment
She laughed to hide her embarrassment.
This suggests that the person doesn’t want others to notice how uncomfortable they feel.
Cause Embarrassment
The mistake caused unnecessary embarrassment.
This construction focuses on the event or action that produced the feeling.
Die of Embarrassment
I thought I was going to die of embarrassment.
This is an informal expression. It exaggerates the intensity of embarrassment rather than describing a literal physical danger.
An Embarrassment to Someone
His behavior was an embarrassment to his family.
Here, the noun describes a person or thing that causes embarrassment to someone else.
Cambridge specifically lists “an embarrassment to” as an established usage.
Embarrassment and Related Words
Not every word associated with embarrassment means exactly the same thing.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
| embarrassment | Feeling of discomfort or self-consciousness | She felt embarrassment. |
| awkwardness | Lack of ease or comfort | There was awkwardness after the question. |
| shame | Distress connected with feeling that you’ve done something wrong or dishonorable | He felt shame about his actions. |
| humiliation | Strong loss of dignity or self-respect | The public criticism caused humiliation. |
| discomfort | General unease or lack of comfort | She felt discomfort during the conversation. |
| awkwardness | Social or situational unease | The awkwardness was obvious. |
These words overlap, but they aren’t interchangeable in every sentence.
For example, forgetting someone’s name may cause embarrassment without causing serious shame. A deliberately humiliating public event may involve humiliation, which can be stronger than ordinary embarrassment.
Cambridge also identifies words such as awkward, uncomfortable, ashamed, and mortifying within the broader language surrounding embarrassment.
A Simple Case Study: Why the Spelling Error Happens
Consider someone writing this sentence from memory:
I felt terrible embarassment after forgetting her name.
The writer knows the pronunciation and meaning. The problem is the spelling.
Why might the r disappear?
First, the middle of the spoken word isn’t strongly emphasized. Second, the writer may remember the familiar sequence -arass- but fail to retain the doubled r. Finally, the word is long enough that visual memory can override the spelling pattern.
Now compare that with a writer who starts from the base word:
embarrass
They can build the noun:
embarrass + ment
That makes the correct spelling much easier to retrieve.
The practical lesson is simple: when a spelling feels uncertain, move back to the base word rather than guessing from pronunciation.
How to Remember Embarrassment Forever
A short memory trick can save you from repeatedly making the same mistake.
Think RR + SS
The core spelling is:
emba + RR + a + SS + ment
Or simply:
RR + SS
Think of embarrass first:
embaRR aSS
Then turn it into:
embarrassment
Remember the Base Word
Instead of memorizing:
embarrassment
as an isolated word, memorize this family:
embarrass → embarrassed → embarrassing → embarrassment
The repeated r and s become much easier to recognize.
Don’t Trust the Sound Alone
If you spell the word entirely from pronunciation, you’re more likely to lose a letter.
When in doubt, picture the written base form:
embarrass
Then continue from there.
Is Embarrassment the Same in American and British English?
Yes. The spelling embarrassment is standard in both American and British English.
The main difference you’ll notice in dictionary resources is pronunciation rather than spelling. Cambridge gives a US pronunciation with /ɪmˈber.əs.mənt/ and a UK pronunciation with /ɪmˈbær.əs.mənt/.
The spelling remains:
embarrassment
There is no standard American spelling embarassment and no standard British spelling that drops the second r.
Common Questions About Embarrassment vs Embarassment
Is Embarrassment or Embarassment Correct?
Embarrassment is correct.
Embarassment is a misspelling.
Why Does Embarrassment Have Two Rs?
The noun comes from the verb embarrass, which contains rr. The spelling of the base word remains visible in embarrassment.
Does Embarrassment Have Two Ss?
Yes.
The correct spelling contains both rr and ss:
embaRR aSSment
Is Embarassment a Word?
Embarassment is not the standard spelling of the noun. Use embarrassment instead.
How Do You Spell Embarrassment?
Spell it:
E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-M-E-N-T
The easiest shortcut is to remember:
embarrass + ment = embarrassment
How Do You Remember the Spelling of Embarrassment?
Remember RR + SS.
The base word is embarrass, not embarass.
What Is the Plural of Embarrassment?
The plural is:
embarrassments
Use it when referring to multiple embarrassing events, situations, or problems.
For the general emotional state, embarrassment is commonly used as an uncountable noun.
Is Embarrassed Related to Embarrassment?
Yes. Both come from the same word family.
embarrass → embarrassed → embarrassment
The shared spelling helps you remember the double r and double s.
What Is the Difference Between Embarrassing and Embarrassed?
Embarrassed describes the person who experiences the feeling.
I was embarrassed.
Embarrassing describes the thing that causes the feeling.
The situation was embarrassing.
This is an important grammar distinction as well as a spelling distinction.
Related Spelling Confusions
Once you learn embarrassment, you’ll notice that the same mistake can appear in related forms.
Embarrass vs Embarass
Correct:
embarrass
Incorrect:
embarass
The correct verb has rr.
Embarrassed vs Embarassed
Correct:
embarrassed
Incorrect:
embarassed
Again, the incorrect form drops one r.
Embarrassing vs Embarassing
Correct:
embarrassing
Incorrect:
embarassing
The same base spelling remains:
embarrass
Learning the base form therefore solves several spelling problems at once.
Embarrassment vs Embarassment: Final Answer
If you’re deciding between embarrassment and embarassment, choose embarrassment.
The correct spelling contains two r’s and two s’s:
embarrassment ✅
The common misspelling contains only one r:
embarassment ❌
The best way to remember the difference is to connect the noun with its base verb:
embarrass → embarrassment
Once embarrass is firmly in your memory, the noun becomes much easier to spell.
So, when you’re writing an email, school assignment, article, report, or professional document, keep this simple rule in mind:
Embarrassment has RR + SS.
That little spelling pattern is enough to keep embarassment out of your writing.
Quick Reference
| Question | Answer |
| Correct spelling | embarrassment |
| Common misspelling | embarassment |
| Base verb | embarrass |
| Double R? | Yes |
| Double S? | Yes |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| US pronunciation | /ɪmˈber.əs.mənt/ |
| Related forms | embarrass, embarrassed, embarrassing |
| Main meaning | The feeling of being embarrassed or something that causes it |
Bottom line: Write embarrassment, not embarassment. Remember RR + SS, and you’ll have the spelling right every time.
