self-pity

American  

[self-pit-ee, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈpɪt i, ˈsɛlf- /

noun

1. pity for oneself, especially a self-indulgent attitude concerning one's own difficulties, hardships, etc..

   We must resist yielding to self-pity and carry on as best we can.

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self-pity British  

noun

1. the act or state of pitying oneself, esp in an exaggerated or self-indulgent manner

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Other Word Forms

• self-pitying adjective
• self-pityingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of self-pity

First recorded in 1615–25

Explanation

If you're completely focused on feeling bad about your own problems and complaints, you're feeling self-pity. Your self-pity can make it hard to appreciate that other people face more serious troubles than you do. When you feel sorry for yourself, or overly sad about the difficulties you face, you're indulging in self-pity. It's often easier to identify self-pity in other people than in yourself, partly because your own self-pity keeps your attention focused inward. Before the 17th century, pity and piety meant the same thing, "compassion, care, or tenderness." Today piety means "religious reverence."

Example Sentences

In an early review, Le Monde praised the book, saying: "Gisele Pelicot tells her story without bravado or self-pity."

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

He called Jamieson "a coward" who was "consumed by self-pity".

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

Worse, these anxieties, at times, are salted with moments of anger and self-pity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025

There’s no self-pity in the observation, just a clear accounting of change.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2025

Now the humor was removed, and an element of self-pity had crept in.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan