self-deprecating

adjective

self-dep·​re·​cat·​ing ˌself-ˈde-pri-ˌkā-tiŋ How to pronounce self-deprecating (audio)
: tending or serving to disparage or undervalue oneself
self-deprecating humor
He is far too self-deprecating … to assume the persona of a celebrity.Eve MacSweeney
self-deprecatingly adverb
… his own informal cluster of American dissident scholars, which self-deprecatingly calls itself the "consolation club" … Franklin Foer

Examples of self-deprecating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This eye-popping mini was hand-crocheted by disadvantaged female artisans to help empower them — something Chelsea herself is trying to do with her self-deprecating boyfriend, Rick. Lois Alter Mark, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025 Warhol is a brisk dip in self-deprecating self-examination. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025 In conversation, Carpenter is funny and self-deprecating, unafraid of speaking his mind and perhaps even interested in ruffling feathers. Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025 The Prince of Wales, 42, cracked a self-deprecating joke about his thinning hair while meeting a well-wisher during his visit to the West Midlands on March 11. Janine Henni, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-deprecating was in 1834

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Cite this Entry

“Self-deprecating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-deprecating. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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