Key Takeaways
- Ashamed is used to express feelings of shame and distress, often due to actions considered morally incorrect.
- Embarrassed refers to feelings of awkwardness, typically in social situations.
- Ashamed often involves a breach of morality, while embarrassed involves a breach in social conduct.
Ashamed vs Embarrassed: Key Difference
Although the terms ashamed and embarrassed are frequently used interchangeably, there is a subtle distinction between the two. Ashamed expresses feelings of shame and distress, often resulting from actions seen as beneath the individual or morally wrong. In contrast, embarrassed primarily refers to feelings of awkwardness and is often used in the context of social situations. This article aims to clarify the difference between ashamed and embarrassed.
Ashamed: Definition and Meaning
The Oxford English Dictionary defines being ashamed as feeling shame or distress. When a person has participated in an action or activity that makes them feel guilty, they usually feel ashamed. For example:
– He was ashamed of himself for having lied to his best friend.
– They were ashamed of how they treated the old man.
– You should be ashamed of how you behaved last night.
In these examples, the individuals feel shame and guilt due to their consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
Ashamed can also refer to feelings of inferiority. When a person feels inferior to others, they can be ashamed:
– She felt ashamed of her breeding at the banquet.
– James felt ashamed of his family.
Another instance where the word ashamed can be used is when a person is reluctant to do something due to fear of humiliation:
– Although he was drowning in work, he was ashamed to seek any assistance.
– He was ashamed to speak to him for fear of being rejected.
– She felt ashamed of her family.
Embarrassed: Definition and Meaning
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word embarrassed as feeling awkward or ill at ease. Feeling embarrassed makes us extremely self-conscious and results in excessive discomfort. Some believe that the main difference between ashamed and embarrassed stems from the line between morality and social conduct. The word embarrassed is primarily used in situations where there is a breach of social conduct, while ashamed is used in situations involving a breach of morality. For example:
– I felt embarrassed when she made a fool of herself in front of the entire audience.
– She felt so embarrassed when they saw her there.
– He felt embarrassed as he slipped and fell the moment he entered the interview.
Difference Between Ashamed and Embarrassed
Definitions of Ashamed and Embarrassed:
– Ashamed: Ashamed is used to express feelings of shame and distress.
– Embarrassed: Embarrassed is primarily used when referring to feelings of awkwardness.
Characteristics of Ashamed and Embarrassed:
– Situation:
– Ashamed: Some believe that ashamed is used for situations involving a moral breach.
– Embarrassed: Embarrassed is used for social situations.
– Feelings:
– Ashamed: When ashamed, the person feels guilt, shame, inferiority, and reluctance depending on the situation.
– Embarrassed: When embarrassed, the person feels self-conscious, awkward, and excessive discomfort.
