self-reproach
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- self-reproachful adjective
- self-reproachfully adverb
- self-reproaching adjective
- self-reproachingly adverb
- self-reproachingness noun
Etymology
Origin of self-reproach
First recorded in 1770–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Young Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is burdened with self-reproach, while old King Lear suffers from narcissism, vanity and madness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
For dirty workers, these burdens include stigma, self-reproach, corroded dignity and shattered self-esteem.
From New York Times • Aug. 13, 2021
Although guilt can motivate rectifying action, shame invites wallowing in self-reproach and self-criticism.
From Washington Post • Jul. 6, 2021
Perhaps it was easier to give in to the sea than to the self-reproach of allowing it to get the better of me.
From The Guardian • Mar. 23, 2021
There was no self-reproach, no uneasiness in those eyes.
From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
