Embarrass is consistently among the most misspelled words in English, and the reason is always the same: writers cannot remember how many Rs and how many Ss the word contains. The correct answer is double R and double S — but without a reliable memory trigger, one of those doubles is almost always dropped.
This guide covers the correct spelling, explains why the mistake happens, and gives you a memory trick that makes it impossible to forget.
The correct spelling is embarrass.
e-m-b-a-r-r-a-s-s
The common misspelling embarass is incorrect. So is embarras. The only correct spelling is embarrass.
Embarrass contains two sets of double letters — double R and double S — which makes it doubly difficult to spell. The most common error is dropping one of the Ss to produce embarass (double R, single S). A less common error is dropping one of the Rs to produce embarras. Both are incorrect. The word comes from the Spanish embarazar and French embarrasser, both of which also contain the double R and double S — so the spelling has always been this way.
The most reliable memory trick for embarrass is: I feel Really Red and Super Stupid when I am embarrassed. That gives you the double R (Really Red) and the double S (Super Stupid): em-ba-rr-a-ss. Alternatively, remember that embarrass has two Rs and two Ss — both doubled, both essential.
Embarrass is a verb meaning to cause someone to feel awkward, self-conscious or ashamed. It can also be used reflexively — to embarrass yourself — meaning to do something that causes personal discomfort or social awkwardness.
The correct spelling is embarrass. The spelling embarass is one of the most common misspellings in English. Remember: e-m-b-a-r-r-a-s-s.
The most reliable memory trick for embarrass is: I feel Really Red and Super Stupid when I am embarrassed. That gives you the double R (Really Red) and the double S (Super Stupid): em-ba-rr-a-ss. Alternatively, remember that embarrass has two Rs and two Ss — both doubled, both essential.
Yes — embarrass is spelled the same in both British and American English. There is no variation between the two varieties for this word.
Embarrass is a verb meaning to cause someone to feel awkward, self-conscious or ashamed. It can also be used reflexively — to embarrass yourself — meaning to do something that causes personal discomfort or social awkwardness.
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