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.

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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

But you would have to be incredibly ignorant to believe that the accumulated genius of America won’t survive a flawed president or three, or a bout of cultural self-loathing,

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 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

Mr. Fetterman’s candor about his self-image, self-doubt, even self-loathing, and the awkward angles from which his 6-foot-8-inch frame views the world, can be startling at times.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

This deservedly anticipated “Frankenstein” transforms that loneliness into stunning tableaux of Victor and his immortal Creature tethered together by their mutual self-loathing.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2025

And along with shame and self-loathing another hurt was healing.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides