Be Embarrassed To Do vs. Embarrassed About Something
Be Embarrassed To Do vs. Embarrassed About Something distinguishes two attested complement patterns for the same adjective. Use embarrassed + to-infinitive for the adjective followed by its documented complement pattern; use embarrassed about + noun phrase for the separately documented construction. The constructions are not interchangeable simply because they share the adjective; choose the pattern that matches the grammatical relationship you mean.
Use embarrassed + to-infinitive when the adjective introduces that documented complement; use embarrassed about + noun phrase when you mean the second documented relationship.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| embarrassment attached to performing/admitting an action | embarrassed + to-infinitive | use the infinitive for the action |
| embarrassment about a topic, fact, or situation | embarrassed about + noun/-ing | name the subject/cause of embarrassment |
Quick tests
Action-or-topic test
Are you naming an action someone feels embarrassed to do, or the topic/situation they feel embarrassed about?
If yes: Use “embarrassed to + verb” for the action.
If no: Use “embarrassed about + noun/-ing” for the topic or cause.
Caveat: The two patterns can describe closely related situations, but the complement structure still changes what is foregrounded.
Examples
He was embarrassed to admit the error.
The infinitive names the action he felt embarrassed to perform.
She felt embarrassed about the mistake.
“About” introduces the topic/cause of embarrassment.
They were embarrassed about arriving late.
An -ing form can follow the preposition “about.”
Further guidance
Core difference
Use embarrassed + to-infinitive for the adjective followed by its documented complement pattern; use embarrassed about + noun phrase for the separately documented construction.
Style Boundary
Treat the distinction as a complement-pattern choice, not as a claim that every nearby preposition or clause is impossible. Follow the directly documented construction for the intended relationship.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- EMBARRASSED — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Direct dictionary evidence for embarrassed + to-infinitive and embarrassed about.