self-deprecating
belittling or undervaluing oneself; excessively modest.
- Also self-dep·re·ca·to·ry [self-dep-ri-kuh-tawr-ee, self-]. /ˌsɛlfˈdɛp rɪ kəˌtɔr i, ˌsɛlf-/.
Other words from self-deprecating
- self-dep·re·cat·ing·ly, adverb
- self-dep·re·ca·tion [self-dep-ri-key-shuhn, self-], /ˌsɛlfˌdɛp rɪˈkeɪ ʃən, ˌsɛlf-/, noun
Words Nearby self-deprecating
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use self-deprecating in a sentence
But he also kept his sense of humor, some of it self-deprecating.
Despite Crack and Graft, D.C. Loved ‘Hizzoner’ Marion Barry | Lloyd Grove | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTVulture, too, noticed her “effortless, self-deprecating charm.”
Jennifer Lawrence Shouldn’t Laugh Off Her Nude Photo Hack | Samantha Allen | September 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTLook, Palin fans already love her, and self-deprecating humor makes you appear secure.
Unlike past presidents, who typically gave us self-deprecating jokes, Obama uses comedy as a weapon.
She ran the gamut with physical humor and dished out droll, self-deprecating one-liners.
Then, there was no limit to the gentle, self-deprecating plausibility with which he alluded to himself.
The White Hand and the Black | Bertram MitfordHe smirked in a self-deprecating way, and pulled his hat-brim down in front.
Dr. Sevier | George W. CableHe looked from one to the other, with his melancholy and self-deprecating smile.
The Last Hope | Henry Seton Merriman
British Dictionary definitions for self-deprecating
having a tendency to disparage oneself
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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