self-effacing

adjective

self-ef·​fac·​ing ˌself-i-ˈfā-siŋ How to pronounce self-effacing (audio)
-e-
: having or showing a tendency to make oneself modestly or shyly inconspicuous
His passions and faith run soul-deep, his gentle wit is always self-effacing and never insulting …Don Gaetz
… she was an extremely self-effacing, private person who never sought the limelight and did not leave the usual artifacts that enable a biographer to reconstruct life patterns.Douglas R. McManis

Examples of self-effacing in a Sentence

he's dating a sweet, self-effacing girl
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.
Han has used centuries of philosophy to deconstruct the current ennui of life online, but Pettman’s writing is more personal and sympathetic than Han’s aphoristic, self-effacing mode. Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025 Pamela is a self-effacing free spirit whose honesty and abandonment cast a spell on the embittered Wendall. Rance Collins, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025 With perfect timing, a self-effacing delivery made for banquets, only Denehy could tell them just right. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025 Ed Ulbrich is fairly self-effacing about his calling as a builder of bridges between entertainment and technology. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-effacing

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-effacing was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Self-effacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-effacing. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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