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self-abasement

American  
[self-uh-beys-muhnt, self-] / ˈsɛlf əˈbeɪs mənt, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

  1. humiliation of oneself, especially as a result of guilt, shame, or the like.


Etymology

Origin of self-abasement

First recorded in 1650–60

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.

See Examples For:

Homo Sovieticus displayed self-abasement, passivity in the face of authority and extreme conformity.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 10, 2026

After all, the look requires doing everything wrong, in a way so thorough that self-abasement seems a big part of the point.

From Salon Mar. 24, 2025

Strong, as we know from his portrayal of Kendall Roy on “Succession,” has a talent for self-abasement.

From Los Angeles Times May 9, 2024

The 14th-century saint Catherine of Siena is famous for drinking the pus of a woman’s open sore in an act of holy self-abasement.

From New York Times Dec. 27, 2021

It swelled and swelled until all the loss, all the grief, all the loneliness and self-abasement of her life washed away.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

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