a big embarrassing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a big embarrassing" is not correct in written English.
It seems to be a misconstruction; "embarrassing" is an adjective and should not be used in this way. Example: "It was a big embarrassment when I tripped on stage."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

That was a big, embarrassing problem".

The New York Times - Tech

In a way that understands that while grief lasts a lifetime and not just until after the funeral, we learn to live with it not by ignoring it but by being able to talk about the person we have lost without it being a big embarrassing deal for everyone involved in the conversation.

Independent

When you let forth a big, embarrassing yawn during a boring lecture or concert, you succumb to a reflex so universal among animals that Charles Darwin mentioned it in his field notes.

Science Magazine

A big, embarrassing, shameful problem.

Huffington Post

That someday, maybe when they die, they find out that they're just Alan John Miller and Mary Luck and it was all a big, embarrassing mistake and they'd lost their friends for no reason.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Some say the European Union, which regularly puts out statistics on the subject, played a big role in embarrassing France.

The New York Times

But instead of just having a big old party and embarrassing themselves, they were dressed in dodgy-looking white gowns and whisked off to a room with a spinning wheel where they were told they would be reincarnated into another amazing, hip, young life-cycle.

The Guardian - Sport

It was not only devastating for NATO but also embarrassing - a big target, so easily hit.

Huffington Post

Spills will happen; don't make a big fuss about it and embarrass the child.

WikiHow

Mrs. Thompson confessed her biggest fear: embarrassing her husband.

The New York Times

Even when I seek help, I put my best foot forward and minimize how I feel because it's embarrassing to make a big deal of something and then discover it isn't serious and I'm just being a wimp.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing something that causes shame, opt for clearer phrasing like "a major embarrassment" or "a significant source of embarrassment" to ensure grammatical correctness and improve clarity.

Common error

Avoid directly modifying an adjective like "embarrassing" with "big". Instead, rephrase to use a noun (e.g., "embarrassment") or find alternative adjectives that accurately convey the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a big embarrassing" attempts to function as a descriptor, aiming to amplify the degree of embarrassment. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, this phrasing is grammatically incorrect because it misuses the adjective "embarrassing."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a big embarrassing" is considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI, as it misuses the adjective "embarrassing". While examples exist, it's best to use clearer and grammatically sound alternatives like "a major embarrassment" or "a significant source of shame". Usage occurs primarily in news and media, with other authoritative sources rarely using this phrase. For best practices, rephrase to use nouns or more appropriate adjectives to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Major source of embarrassment

Replaces "big" with "major" to emphasize the significance of the embarrassment, using more formal language.

Significant embarrassment

Substitutes "big" with "significant", indicating a considerable degree of embarrassment.

Profound sense of shame

Emphasizes the depth of feeling associated with the embarrassment, using "profound" to amplify the intensity.

Considerable source of shame

Highlights the substantial nature of the shame caused, employing "considerable" for emphasis.

Deeply humiliating situation

Focuses on the experience being humiliating rather than just embarrassing, adding intensity.

Great source of mortification

Uses "mortification" to denote a higher level of embarrassment, implying extreme shame.

Awkward and regrettable incident

Shifts the focus to the event itself, describing it as awkward and regrettable.

Embarrassing and unfortunate circumstance

Highlights both the embarrassing and unfortunate aspects of the situation.

Hugely embarrassing blunder

Amplifies embarrassment by specifying a 'blunder' as the cause, adding a sense of mistake or error.

A considerable faux pas

Replaces "embarrassing" with the French term "faux pas" indicating a social blunder or misstep, and it uses 'considerable' to indicate significant impact.

FAQs

How can I properly express the idea of something causing significant embarrassment?

Instead of using "a big embarrassing", consider using phrases such as "a major embarrassment", "a significant embarrassment", or "a source of shame" to convey the intended meaning with better grammatical structure.

What are some alternatives to describe a situation that causes a high level of embarrassment?

You can use phrases like "deeply humiliating", "mortifying", or "extremely awkward" to describe situations that lead to a strong sense of embarrassment.

Is it grammatically correct to say "a big embarrassing"?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "a big embarrassing" is not grammatically correct. It's better to rephrase it using grammatically sound alternatives such as "a major embarrassment" or "a significant source of shame".

What's the difference between saying "a big embarrassing" and "a major embarrassment"?

"A big embarrassing" is grammatically awkward and less clear. "A major embarrassment" is grammatically correct and clearly conveys the idea of something causing significant shame or awkwardness.