self-pity
noun
: pity for oneself
especially
: a self-indulgent dwelling on one's own sorrows or misfortunes
Examples of self-pity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But that factor also contributes to the queasy feeling in High & Low that the subject is less defined by humbled remorse than self-pitying martyrdom.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Sep. 2023
The butterfly is meant to symbolize her fairy godmother, who helps Carolina get rid of self-pity to take control of her life.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023
The process, at times, has left him vacillating from tears of self-pity to intense anger and severe depression.
—Phil McCausland, NBC News, 6 Aug. 2023
But even their sweet, tentative romance, predicated on mutual curiosity and real attraction, can’t help but bring out Ben’s ugly side, from his reflexive self-pity to his objectifying, self-loathing assumptions about interracial coupledom.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2023
Television Miranda and Che take L.A. in ‘And Just Like That’ ... and their actors have some theories about fan backlash
June 29, 2023
Miranda is not amused by Che’s self-pity.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2023
Never mind that country music is — or was, a few decades back — the genre people could count on to commiserate in self-pity.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 19 July 2023
There’s no way any of these characters are self-pitying.
—Simran Hans, New York Times, 14 June 2023
In several letters, Gunn apologizes for talking about himself at all, and often equates self-expression with self-pity.
—Matthew Bevis, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2022
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David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Sep. 2023
The butterfly is meant to symbolize her fairy godmother, who helps Carolina get rid of self-pity to take control of her life.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023
The process, at times, has left him vacillating from tears of self-pity to intense anger and severe depression.
—Phil McCausland, NBC News, 6 Aug. 2023
But even their sweet, tentative romance, predicated on mutual curiosity and real attraction, can’t help but bring out Ben’s ugly side, from his reflexive self-pity to his objectifying, self-loathing assumptions about interracial coupledom.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2023
Television Miranda and Che take L.A. in ‘And Just Like That’ ... and their actors have some theories about fan backlash
June 29, 2023
Miranda is not amused by Che’s self-pity.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2023
Never mind that country music is — or was, a few decades back — the genre people could count on to commiserate in self-pity.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 19 July 2023
There’s no way any of these characters are self-pitying.
—Simran Hans, New York Times, 14 June 2023
In several letters, Gunn apologizes for talking about himself at all, and often equates self-expression with self-pity.
—Matthew Bevis, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-pity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1604, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near self-pity
Cite this Entry
“Self-pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-pity. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
self-pity
nounˈself-ˈpit-ē
: pity for oneself
especially
: too much attention to one's misfortunes
self-pitying
adjective
-ē-iŋ
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