: pity for oneself
especially : a self-indulgent dwelling on one's own sorrows or misfortunes
self-pitying adjective
self-pityingly adverb

Examples of self-pity 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.
Needless to say, this particular motive is not mentioned in Biden’s solipsistic and self-pitying statement. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024 As a man estranged from his family who loses himself in his work, Law portrays Husk as someone easy to underestimate, seemingly adrift in a fog of booze and self-pity, yet driven by a professionalism who can nevertheless rise to the occasion when needed. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024 Matty’s mixed-up feelings about Ellie — a combination of rage, grief, self-pity, and self-recrimination — may end up having a profound effect on how her mission within Jacobson-Moore plays out. Noel Murray, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024 At some point between his second-inning exit, and the Dodgers’ historic rally in the top of the fifth, a dispirited Flaherty decided against any further self-pity. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for self-pity 

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-pity was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near self-pity

Cite this Entry

“Self-pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-pity. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-pity

noun
ˈself-ˈpit-ē
: pity for oneself
especially : too much attention to one's misfortunes
self-pitying
-ē-iŋ
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on self-pity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!