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🇫🇷French Source WordCode: FR

Gêné

Pronunciation / Transliteration: /ʒe.ne/

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Embarrassed/ɪmˈbær.əst/
adjectiveCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #2150 frequency
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🇫🇷 Example Sentence in French:

"Il était très gêné d'avoir oublié son nom."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Feeling self-conscious, ashamed, or awkward due to the actions, thoughts, or perceptions of oneself or others.

    "She felt deeply embarrassed when she realized she was wearing mismatched shoes."
  2. 2

    Financially troubled or encumbered, typically regarding money or resources.

    "The company found itself in embarrassed circumstances following the unexpected market downturn."
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Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the verb embarrass, which comes from the French embarrasser, ultimately originating from the Spanish embarazar (to block, hamper, or perplex) and Portuguese embaraçar. These trace back through the Iberian Peninsula via Old Portuguese and potentially from late Latin or pre-Roman roots denoting a bar or barrier. Over centuries, the meaning shifted from a physical hindrance or obstruction to the psychological state of being socially constrained, awkward, or self-conscious.

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