Quick Answer: Embarrass is the correct spelling in American English. Embarass is a misspelling. The word embarrass means to make someone feel awkward, self-conscious, uncomfortable, or ashamed.

Have you ever paused while writing the word embarrass and wondered whether it needs one r or two? You are not alone. The spelling can be confusing because the word contains several repeated letters, making it easy to leave one out when typing quickly.

The difference between embarrass and embarass is simple: embarrass is the standard spelling, while embarass is incorrect in standard American English. The correct word has a double r and a double s.

In this guide, you will learn the correct spelling, meaning, pronunciation, grammar rules, common mistakes, practical examples, and easy memory tricks to help you use embarrass confidently in school, work, emails, and everyday conversations.

Embarrass vs. Embarass: At a Glance

Feature	Embarrass	Embarass
Spelling status	Correct	Incorrect
Standard US English	Yes	No
Part of speech	Verb	Misspelling of a verb
Meaning	To make someone feel awkward or ashamed	No standard meaning
Correct example	Don’t embarrass your friend.	Incorrect spelling
Letter pattern	Double r, double s	Missing one r

1. What Does Embarrass Mean?

Embarrass is a verb that means to make someone feel awkward, uncomfortable, self-conscious, or ashamed.

It can describe an uncomfortable social situation, a mistake in public, an awkward conversation, or an action that makes someone feel exposed.

Examples:

• I didn’t mean to embarrass you in front of your classmates.
• His unexpected question embarrassed the speaker.
• Please don’t embarrass your little brother.
• She tried not to embarrass her friend by mentioning the mistake.
• The unexpected announcement seemed to embarrass him.

The word can describe both minor awkwardness and more serious humiliation, depending on the situation.

2. Why Is Embarass Incorrect?

Embarass is a common spelling mistake, not a standard English spelling. It omits one r from the correct word.

Compare the two forms:

• Correct: embarrass
• Incorrect: embarass

The correct spelling is used in standard American and British English. It does not change between these varieties.

The mistake often happens because the double letters are easy to overlook when typing quickly or writing from memory. Since the pronunciation does not clearly signal every letter, remembering the spelling pattern is more reliable than relying on sound alone.

3. Seven Key Differences Between Embarrass and Embarass

Difference	Embarrass	Embarass
1. Spelling	Correct	Incorrect
2. Number of Rs	Two	One
3. Number of Ss	Two	Two
4. Dictionary usage	Standard verb	Misspelling
5. Meaning	To make someone feel awkward or ashamed	No separate standard meaning
6. Formal writing	Appropriate	Should be corrected
7. Example	I don’t want to embarrass her.	I don’t want to embarass her.

The most important distinction is the double r. Both spellings have two s letters, but only embarrass has the correct number of r letters.

4. Correct Spelling Examples in Sentences

Here are practical examples of how to use embarrass naturally in American English.

Correct

Example 1: I don’t want to embarrass my friend at the party.

The speaker does not want to make a friend feel uncomfortable.

Incorrect

Example 2: I don’t want to embarass my friend at the party.

The word is missing one r.

Correct

Example 3: His mistake did not embarrass him as much as he expected.

The verb describes the feeling caused by a mistake.

Correct

Example 4: Please don’t embarrass me by telling that story again.

The speaker asks someone not to create an awkward situation.

More correct examples:

• I would never intentionally embarrass my parents.
• The teacher did not want to embarrass the student.
• His careless comment could embarrass the entire team.
• She laughed to hide how embarrassed she felt.
• Nobody wanted to embarrass the new employee.

5. Embarrass, Embarrassed, Embarrassing, and Embarrassment

These related words share the same spelling pattern, including the double r and double s.

Word	Part of speech	Example
Embarrass	Verb	Don’t embarrass him.
Embarrassed	Past-tense verb or adjective	I felt embarrassed.
Embarrassing	Adjective or participle	It was an embarrassing mistake.
Embarrassment	Noun	She tried to hide her embarrassment.

Embarrass

Use embarrass when describing the act of making someone feel awkward or ashamed.

Example: I don’t want to embarrass my colleague during the meeting.

Embarrassed

Use embarrassed to describe someone’s feelings or an action that happened in the past.

Example: He felt embarrassed after giving the wrong answer.

Embarrassing

Use embarrassing to describe something that causes embarrassment.

Example: Forgetting her name was an embarrassing moment.

Embarrassment

Use embarrassment as a noun for the feeling or situation itself.

Example: To her embarrassment, she called the teacher by the wrong name.

Spelling rule: Remember the base word embarrass. Its double letters remain in these related forms.

6. Easy Tricks to Remember Embarrass

If you frequently confuse embarrass with embarass, use these simple techniques.

Trick 1: Remember RR + SS.

The correct word contains two pairs of repeated consonants:

embaRR aSS

Two Rs + two Ss = embarrass

Trick 2: Say the spelling aloud.

Spell the word slowly: E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S. Repeating the letters can help you memorize the correct sequence.

Trick 3: Learn the word family together.

Practice these four words as a group:

• embarrass
• embarrassed
• embarrassing
• embarrassment

Trick 4: Use a short sentence.

Remember: “Never embarrass anyone.”

Writing this sentence a few times can reinforce the correct spelling.

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Writers sometimes make related errors by removing one of the repeated letters.

Incorrect	Correct
embarass	embarrass
embarassed	embarrassed
embarassing	embarrassing
embarassment	embarrassment

These are spelling errors, not alternative American English spellings. A spell-checker can help identify them, but learning the correct base word is a more reliable long-term solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it embarrass or embarass?

Embarrass is correct. Embarass is a misspelling because it contains only one r instead of two.

2. How do you spell embarrass correctly?

Spell it E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S. Remember that the word contains double r and double s.

3. What does embarrass mean?

It means to make someone feel awkward, uncomfortable, self-conscious, or ashamed. For example: “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

4. Is embarass ever correct in American English?

No. Embarass is not the standard spelling in American English. Use embarrass in schoolwork, business writing, emails, and website content.

5. Is embarrass spelled the same in British English?

Yes. Both American and British English use embarrass. The spelling does not vary by region.

6. What is the difference between embarrass and embarrassed?

Embarrass is the base verb, while embarrassed is its past-tense form and can also describe someone’s feelings.

Example: “I didn’t want to embarrass him, but he felt embarrassed anyway.”

7. Why is embarrass so difficult to spell?

The repeated letters are easy to forget because the pronunciation does not clearly distinguish both Rs and both Ss. Memorizing the pattern RR + SS makes the spelling easier.

Conclusion: Embarrass Is the Correct Spelling

When choosing between embarrass vs. embarass, always use embarrass. It is the standard spelling in American English and other major varieties of English. Embarass is a misspelling that should be corrected.

Keep this simple rule in mind: embarrass = two Rs + two Ss.

Once you remember that pattern, you can confidently spell embarrassed, embarrassing, and embarrassment in everyday conversations, professional emails, academic assignments, and published articles.