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

Reinsve zoomed to international acclaim with her Cannes-winning performance in Joachim Trier’s 2021 “The Worst Person in the World,” a dramedy tailor-made to her lanky, likable style of self-loathing.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

The blues “You’re Kind” features a self-loathing protagonist who dumps a lover who’s good to him.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

Fearing he’s a has-been, the diminutive, balding Hart slowly succumbs to self-loathing.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2025

Amy describes Clifford as a man filled with hatred, self-loathing, and a deep insecurity.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2025

She wished she had told Ginika about the tennis coach, taken the train to Ginika’s apartment on that day, but now it was too late, her self-loathing had hardened inside her.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie