self-effacing

adjective

1. tending to make oneself, one's actions, etc, inconspicuous, esp because of humility or timidity; modest

Other Word Forms

• self-effacingly adverb

Example Sentences

He has a wide smile and an easygoing, self-effacing way about him.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When Harris acted the way that vice presidents normally do — subservient, self-effacing, careful never to poach the spotlight from the chief executive — it was seen as a failing.

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He made Barack Obama look modest and self-effacing.

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In those days very few companies, least of all life and health insurers, would have dared to engage in self-effacing humor.

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Is it possible that today we are seeing a decisive erosion in popular tolerance of Biya's self-effacing version of semi-authoritarian rule?

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• coy 
• discreet 
• humble 
• reticent 
• unassuming 
• unobtrusive 
• unpretentious