self-effacement

American  

[self-i-feys-muhnt, self-] / ˈsɛlf ɪˈfeɪs mənt, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. the act or fact of keeping oneself in the background, as in humility.

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self-effacement British  

noun

1. the act of making oneself, one's actions, etc, inconspicuous, esp because of humility or timidity

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Other Word Forms

• self-effacing
  adjective
• self-effacingly
  adverb
• self-effacingness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of self-effacement

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

But underneath the self-effacement often lies a healthy ego.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Modesty, wit, self-effacement: They shape every line of his work.

From Washington Post • Feb. 23, 2023

“One of the reasons Boseman was such a marvelous actor was his genius for self-effacement, his ability to hold the spotlight without dominating it,” Chang writes.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2022

These characters, with their separate agendas, are intended to awaken Tell and to propel him to end his self-effacement.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 9, 2021

It is safer, you conclude, to choose self-effacement at this critical moment in your career.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker