self-deprecating
adjective
self-dep·re·cat·ing
ˌself-ˈde-pri-ˌkā-tiŋ 
: 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
Eve MacSweeney
self-deprecatingly
adverb
… his own informal cluster of American dissident scholars, which self-deprecatingly calls itself the "consolation club" …
—Franklin Foer
Franklin Foer
Examples of self-deprecating in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Both bits seem cute and just self-deprecating enough to finally put this to bed.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 18 May 2026
That self-deprecating humor is a cornerstone of her winning formula.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Denver Broncos There was a solid mix of self-deprecating humor, particularly from the Peyton Manning angle.
—Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 May 2026
O’Brien, known for his self-deprecating humor, emceed the Oscars this year and in 2025.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
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Tom Smyth, Vulture, 18 May 2026
That self-deprecating humor is a cornerstone of her winning formula.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Denver Broncos There was a solid mix of self-deprecating humor, particularly from the Peyton Manning angle.
—Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 May 2026
O’Brien, known for his self-deprecating humor, emceed the Oscars this year and in 2025.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
Cite this Entry
“Self-deprecating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-deprecating. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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