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self-loathing

American  
[self-loh-thing] / ˈsɛlfˈloʊ ðɪŋ /

noun

  1. disgust with oneself; the feeling that one is detestable.

    Consumed by my own self-loathing, I thought I deserved nothing.


adjective

  1. feeling or expressing disgust with oneself.

    In my insecure and self-loathing mind, I figured she’d probably given me her number with no intention of ever going out with me.

Etymology

Origin of self-loathing

self- ( def. ) + loathing ( def. )

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:

For a team whose signature was bowing out of major tournaments in a storm of self-sabotage and self-loathing, surviving this trip south of the border erased years of heartbreak—but only for a moment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Nevertheless, Head fully commits to his character’s self-loathing, which he endures to shield his daughter from the nastiness of their dystopian surroundings.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026

Dwayne Johnson’s performance in “The Smashing Machine,” for all the film’s flaws, cleverly reconciled the dissonance between the outward images of masculine power and internal feelings of self-loathing.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

“But if we indulge our own self-loathing, it can go down a road as dark and twisted as this.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 14, 2026

As Woolf matured and honed his craft, his moments of self-loathing gave way to quiet, unwavering confidence.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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