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.
Some of Swift's best work comes from her self-deprecating moods, and this track, with its self-loathing but super catchy lyrics, is no exception. Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025 When Arnett’s character attempts open-mic standup at a comedy club with confessional, self-deprecating material, a whole new world opens for him. Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025 When Arnett’s character attempts open-mic standup at a comedy club with confessional, self-deprecating material, a whole new world opens for him. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025 But while Ronald Reagan could sometimes be disarmingly self-deprecating, Team Trump is far too threatened by everything to tolerate humor. Merrill Markoe, Rolling Stone, 23 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 10 Oct. 2025.

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