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
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
Nicholas Kristof
self-parodist
ˌself-ˈper-ə-dist
noun
-ˈpa-rə-
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
Mikael Wood
Examples of self-parody in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
In a bit of self-parody, Wickline plays herself opposite Kam Patterson’s Lil Jon.
—Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Dec. 2025
The difference in their performances is exactly as Sherman says: Davis’s elaborately mannered performance is especially effective in this film because its theatricality renders it, as befits the role, a self-parody.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2025
For Hilton, whose public persona has always blended self-parody and glamour, the nod feels intentional — a bridge between two eras of women who mastered spectacle on their own terms.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
But most of those productions fell into the trap of self-parody that ensnares so many attempts at franchise crossovers.
—Robert Niles, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
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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
In a bit of self-parody, Wickline plays herself opposite Kam Patterson’s Lil Jon.
—Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Dec. 2025
The difference in their performances is exactly as Sherman says: Davis’s elaborately mannered performance is especially effective in this film because its theatricality renders it, as befits the role, a self-parody.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2025
For Hilton, whose public persona has always blended self-parody and glamour, the nod feels intentional — a bridge between two eras of women who mastered spectacle on their own terms.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
But most of those productions fell into the trap of self-parody that ensnares so many attempts at franchise crossovers.
—Robert Niles, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-parody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-parody. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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