self-abasement
noun
self-abase·ment
ˌself-ə-ˈbās-mənt 
plural self-abasements
: a humiliation of oneself : the act of behaving in a way that makes one seem lower or less deserving of respect
… regaled the audience with personal stories and songs that didn't stint on comedic self-deprecation while avoiding self-abasement.—
Stephen Holden
Stephen HoldenExamples of self-abasement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wembley, Old Trafford, the Emirates Stadium; at various points over the past few years, Newcastle have taken a wrecking ball to long decades of self-abasement, but overturning a substantive lead at the Etihad Stadium will require another level of achievement.
—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
And frequent appearances by a pigeon that perches on her windowsill like a Greek chorus, mocking her self-abasement and growing detachment from reality, seem a tad heavy-handed.
—
Book Marks
august 28,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
In other people’s lives, Diane’s self-abasement is the cause of emotional nourishment.
—
Vivian Gornick,
New Yorker,
16 Aug. 2025
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George Caulkin,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
And frequent appearances by a pigeon that perches on her windowsill like a Greek chorus, mocking her self-abasement and growing detachment from reality, seem a tad heavy-handed.
—
Book Marks
august 28,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
In other people’s lives, Diane’s self-abasement is the cause of emotional nourishment.
—
Vivian Gornick,
New Yorker,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-abasement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-abasement. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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