self-deprecation

Also self-de·pre·ci·a·tion

[self-dep-ri-key-shuhn, self-]

noun

1. the act or habit of belittling or undervaluing oneself; excessive modesty, often as a form of humor.

   There’s no need for self-deprecation—you're doing fine and shouldn’t be worried about your shortcomings.

   At the luau, the Hawaiian chief's deadpan delivery, self-deprecation, and gentle mockery of tourists was hilarious.

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-deprecation¹

First recorded in 1840–45; self- ( def. ) + deprecation ( def. )

Example Sentences

But even she was cackling; Youssef has a way of disarming every faction in the room—Muslim aunties, ex-Catholic cynics, even the odd finance bro—by toggling from self-deprecation to sudden, sincere tenderness so fast you forget you were ever skeptical.

From Slate

I can't quite decide if that self-deprecation is The 1975's greatest strength or their Achilles' heel.

From BBC

Baram’s winsome self-deprecation felt like a perfect match for the cast of this off-kilter comedy Skinner was assembling.

From Los Angeles Times

There is so much beauty and joy; there are sing-alongs, there is call and response, and there is also a robust amount of humor, sarcasm and self-deprecation.

From Salon

For what it’s worth, Nyoni’s film is very cool, even though she constantly peppers her conversation with this kind of playful self-deprecation.

From Los Angeles Times