as in guilt
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
he was filled with self-reproach for causing the accident
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Recent Examples of self-reproach
That guilt can deepen the cycle, turning what started as self-care into self-reproach.
—
Christine Michel Carter, Parents, 20 May 2025
Orsolya is apparently wracked with feelings of complicity, though the film, which is made up mainly of extended shots of her conversations with other people, questions the sincerity of her self-reproach against a backdrop of ethnic tension and neoliberal sprawl in Romania.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Amanda’s self-reproach expresses a depressed national mood.
—Armond White, National Review, 10 Apr. 2024
Jihan was overtaken by bitterness and self-reproach.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Photo: andrew caballero-reynolds/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Festivus has its airing of grievances and the 2024 Democratic National Convention in August may feature the wailing of self-reproach.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023
One of the many poignant aspects of Nick’s early death is that his friends have carried a lifelong sense of regret and even self-reproach.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2023
For an artist, self-reproach and self-aggrandizement can be two faces of the same mirror.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Nov. 2023
The genre is like a psychological tattoo on a culture that has lost faith in itself — like the bourgeois self-reproach in Yazmina Reza’s puerile God of Carnage that Roman Polanski filmed.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Nov. 2023
Christine Michel Carter, Parents, 20 May 2025
Orsolya is apparently wracked with feelings of complicity, though the film, which is made up mainly of extended shots of her conversations with other people, questions the sincerity of her self-reproach against a backdrop of ethnic tension and neoliberal sprawl in Romania.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Amanda’s self-reproach expresses a depressed national mood.
—Armond White, National Review, 10 Apr. 2024
Jihan was overtaken by bitterness and self-reproach.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Photo: andrew caballero-reynolds/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Festivus has its airing of grievances and the 2024 Democratic National Convention in August may feature the wailing of self-reproach.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023
One of the many poignant aspects of Nick’s early death is that his friends have carried a lifelong sense of regret and even self-reproach.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2023
For an artist, self-reproach and self-aggrandizement can be two faces of the same mirror.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Nov. 2023
The genre is like a psychological tattoo on a culture that has lost faith in itself — like the bourgeois self-reproach in Yazmina Reza’s puerile God of Carnage that Roman Polanski filmed.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reproach
Noun
-
In very unhinged behavior, Lucy tracks Sophie down (after her boss expressly tells her the client doesn't want any contact whatsoever), and unsurprisingly, Sophie admonishes her for invading her privacy in an attempt to absolve her feelings of guilt.—
Aisha Harris,
NPR,
21 June 2025
-
The Holocaust looms over discussions about Israel, with many claiming the country’s sense of historical guilt has made it, until recently, reluctant to criticize Israeli politics.—
Agnes Mueller,
The Conversation,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
The statement of remorse by Musk, who spent more than $250 million to help elect Trump in 2024, comes as observers have noticed another shift in his tone on social media toward the Administration.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
12 June 2025
-
During last month’s clemency hearing, Hanson expressed remorse for his involvement in the crimes and apologized to the victims’ families.—
Sean Murphy,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
The story is set against a tragic event that unlocks a series of secrets, lies and regrets.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
18 June 2025
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Hold Orlando police accountable, too The city has agreed to a $300,000 wrongful death settlement but declines to acknowledge responsibility or regret.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
She’s also never been afraid to use the power of shame.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
14 June 2025
-
If false, shame on our institutions for not finding a way to dispel misinformation or misunderstanding in the broader public sphere.—
David Rosowsky,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-reproach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reproach. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.
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