self-parody

noun

self-par·​o·​dy ˌself-ˈper-ə-dē 

-ˈpa-rə-

plural self-parodies

: representation of oneself or itself that has the character or appearance of a parody

Detractors accused him … of relying on a sneaky humor and swagger that approached self-parody.

—New York Times

… the lack of ideological diversity on campuses is a disservice to the students and to liberalism itself, with liberalism collapsing on some campuses into self-parody.

—Nicholas Kristof

self-parodist

ˌself-ˈper-ə-dist 

-ˈpa-rə-

noun

plural self-parodists

Artists seem to have more of a sense of humor about themselves today than they did 10 or 20 years ago. Eminem is practically a self-parodist.

—Mikael Wood

Examples of self-parody in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And the schedule release has somehow turned into one of the showcase events of the spring, elbowing its way onto the stage in the middle of the NBA and NHL’s postseasons with a mix of everything from self-parody to absurdist, goofy fun. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 16 May 2026

Without intending, even as the Vietnam War lingered on and the national mood was grim, halftime became classic Americana, a telling mixture of self-parody and pride. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026

And as the season progresses, divided into two-part mysteries that leave plenty of time for sharp character work, viewers discover that Gatiss has much more on his agenda than tweedy self-parody. — Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026

Maria’s scenes ultimately provoke laughter, not discomfort, and her arc devolves into accidental self-parody. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-parody

• parody