ADJ
- acute, considerable, great, intense, severe
- total
- slight
- She smiled to hide her slight embarrassment
- further
- obvious
- silent
VERB + EMBARRASSMENT
- feel
- I felt some embarrassment as we shook hands
- cover, hide
- cause
- avoid
- The government wishes to avoid further embarrassment over the affair
- blush/flush with, giggle with, squirm with
- I still squirm with embarrassment at the thought of it
- die from/of
- (figurative) I could have died of embarrassment when I saw her standing behind me
- ease, relieve
- save sb, spare sb
- Helen changed the subject to save me the embarrassment of replying
PREP
- in ~
- We all watched in silent embarrassment as Mr Rogers started to cry
- with/without ~
- I could finally talk about my problem without embarrassment
- ~ at
- her embarrassment at being found out
- ~ over
- the government's embarrassment over the affair
PHRASES
- (much) to sb's embarrassment
- Much to his embarrassment, Mike realized that a small crowd was watching him
- feelings of embarrassment, a flush of embarrassment
- A flush of embarrassment came to her cheeks
- a source of embarrassment
ADJ
- considerable, great, huge, major, serious, severe
- potential
- financial, political, social
VERB + EMBARRASSMENT
- be, become, prove
- The protests were becoming something of an embarrassment to the government
- consider sb/sth
PREP
- ~ for
- The episode was a huge embarrassment for all concerned
- ~ to
- The poor child was considered an embarrassment to his family