self-deprecating

adjective

self-dep·​re·​cat·​ing ˌself-ˈde-pri-ˌkā-tiŋ How to pronounce self-deprecating (audio)
: tending or serving to disparage or undervalue oneself
self-deprecating humor
He is far too self-deprecating … to assume the persona of a celebrity.Eve MacSweeney
self-deprecatingly adverb
… his own informal cluster of American dissident scholars, which self-deprecatingly calls itself the "consolation club" … Franklin Foer

Examples of self-deprecating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And then there’s Francona’s self-deprecating sense of humor. Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 2025 The title of the special, which premieres on Sept. 12, is borrowed from the set’s most riotous bit — and, perhaps, also a self-deprecating reference to his comedy. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025 Some speeches were heartfelt, comical and even self-deprecating at times, while others addressed social and political issues. Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025 The adorable, self-deprecating Rahul Mandal, a research scientist from Rotherham, won season 9 of GBBO. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-deprecating was in 1834

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Cite this Entry

“Self-deprecating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-deprecating. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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