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.
Taurasi accepted the well-wishes while also taking a self-deprecating jab at herself. Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Aug. 2025 The bus and its older sibling, a micro-passenger car dubbed the Beetle or Bug, were part of a phenomenal marketing campaign complete with clever, self-deprecating ads. Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 The campaign, intentionally crafted without generative AI, relied on human creativity to build emotional connection and brand personality — rebellious, self-deprecating, approachable, and fun. Dasha Shunina, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 Told in a sharp, self-deprecating, first-person point of view, this small town, Southern mystery packs a big wallop. Connie Ogle, Boston Herald, 10 July 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 20 Aug. 2025.

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