When you cringe while watching people embarrassing/publicly humiliating themselves, especially when they DON'T deserve it. People who suffer from this are generally empaths, or they may suffer from severe social anxiety.
"I tried to tell my friends that Dave couldn't dance, but they forced him to anyway. I got second-hand embarrassment in the worst way while watching him. By the time I pulled him out, his face was the deepest shade of red imaginable, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he was trying not to cry from embarrassment. We haven't been on speaking terms with those "friends" since that incident."
Moral of the story: Don't force people to do things they're not comfortable with, especially under protest. It may be funny to you, but you've gotta think of other people.
Moral of the story: Don't force people to do things they're not comfortable with, especially under protest. It may be funny to you, but you've gotta think of other people.
by Ubeenbamboozledson August 13, 2021
Get the Second-Hand Embarrassment mug.by frogtoaster July 17, 2020
Get the second hand embarrassment mug.When someone's actions other than your own embarrasses you. Also a common feeling when reading or watching something embarrassing like a show or book.
1. Person 1: Did you see that girl trip today? It was so embarrassing, she dropped everything in her hands.
Person 2: Yeah, I know I couldn't handle watching her scramble around, trying to pick it up. The secondhand embarrassment was real.
2. The Character in the book was so embarrassing , that I couldn't continue reading it, cause I got secondhand embarrassment too much.
Person 2: Yeah, I know I couldn't handle watching her scramble around, trying to pick it up. The secondhand embarrassment was real.
2. The Character in the book was so embarrassing , that I couldn't continue reading it, cause I got secondhand embarrassment too much.
by Crumpled August 17, 2017
Get the Secondhand Embarrassment mug.Only a national embarrassment would guarantee there is "no problem" with his penis size during a Presidential Debate.
by Person who learns things August 14, 2016
Get the national embarrassment mug.Hassan was feeling Third-Hand Embarrassment that Sarah's was feeling Second-Hand embarrassed that her boyfriend took off his shirt and started screaming dead memes at the gym
by IRobo_Lover February 11, 2023
Get the Third-Hand Embarrassment mug.Empathetic embarrassment felt for the sake of another who is incapable of shame or unaware that they should feel shame.
Seeing that guy dance sets my proxy embarrassment off.
Whenever Glenn Beck has a freakout on TV, I feel proxy embarrassment.
Even though she tries hard, I can't listen to her singing without it setting off my proxy embarrassment.
Whenever Glenn Beck has a freakout on TV, I feel proxy embarrassment.
Even though she tries hard, I can't listen to her singing without it setting off my proxy embarrassment.
by Bellingson February 24, 2010
Get the Proxy Embarrassment mug.Second hand embarrassment from a white person acting stereotypically white in public (usually experienced by the token minority friend)
Person A was stabbing their food using the chopsticks. Person B was feeling white people embarrassment from it.
by MjiTmrk April 16, 2023
Get the White People Embarrassment mug.