self-effacing

adjective

self-ef·​fac·​ing ˌself-i-ˈfā-siŋ How to pronounce self-effacing (audio)
-e-
: having or showing a tendency to make oneself modestly or shyly inconspicuous
His passions and faith run soul-deep, his gentle wit is always self-effacing and never insulting …Don Gaetz
… she was an extremely self-effacing, private person who never sought the limelight and did not leave the usual artifacts that enable a biographer to reconstruct life patterns.Douglas R. McManis

Examples of self-effacing in a Sentence

he's dating a sweet, self-effacing girl
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.
Cher is a bracing read, peppered with caustic quips and self-effacing anecdotes, but fundamentally frank. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024 With his self-effacing sense of humor and willingness to dive fully into any character, Paul was perfect for the part. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 18 Nov. 2024 An… The Brink of Peace: The Israeli-Syrian Negotiations An informed, thoughtful, and refreshingly self-effacing insider's study of a four-year negotiation. Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024 From the premiere stage, Hoult recalled his excitement at discovering Eastwood wanted him for the film’s central role but also the director’s self-effacing dig at his own advancing age. Chris Lee, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for self-effacing 

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-effacing was in 1854

Dictionary Entries Near self-effacing

Cite this Entry

“Self-effacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-effacing. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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