self-deprecation

noun

self-dep·​re·​ca·​tion ˌself-de-pri-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce self-deprecation (audio)
plural self-deprecations
: disparagement or undervaluation of oneself
On-camera and off, cheerful self-deprecation is the key to Hugh Grant's formidable charm.Leah Rozen
Comedy is about self-deprecation, about showing vulnerability.David Moore

Examples of self-deprecation 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.
The onstage self-deprecation continued when HBO Max CMO Shauna Spenley displayed the three Spider-men pointing meme on the big screen behind her, replacing the Marvel Spideys with DC Supermen and overlaying the logos of Max, HBO Max, and the old SVOD service HBO Go that first beget HBO Max. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025 American humor can often be more brash than British comedy, which is cloaked in irony and self-deprecation. David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025 Melania Trump actually came to the U.S. to pursue her modelling career, but this was vintage Dolan, using jokey self-deprecation to disavow his proximity to state power and to scant the authority vested in him as archbishop. Paul Elie, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2025 However, where the SEALs were concerned, there’s a cultural thing within those guys which is to absolutely err on the side of self-deprecation and humility. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025 Adding to the conversation, director Matt Shakman pointed out that despite previous iterations depicting the character as a silly playboy, the source material also details a superhero with great intelligence and self-deprecation. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2025 Very carefully, unless your boss is Graydon Carter, whose gift for irreverence and self-deprecation is almost as legendary as his hair. Jim Kelly, Air Mail, 29 Mar. 2025 The comic has always tended more towards goofiness and self-deprecation. Ashraf Khalil, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2025 While well-intentioned, this self-deprecation can damage your credibility and create awkwardness. Melody Wilding, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-deprecation was in 1846

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Cite this Entry

“Self-deprecation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-deprecation. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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