1. (

• awkward ,
• embarrassing ,
• sticky ,
• unenviable

) hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment; "awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion"; "an awkward pause followed his remark"; "a sticky question"; "in the unenviable position of resorting to an act he had planned to save for the climax of the campaign" ;

2. (

• unenviable

) so undesirable as to be incapable of arousing envy; "unenviable notoriety" ;