as in embarrassed
concerned with the way one is perceived by others
He used to feel self-conscious about his belly.
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Recent Examples of self-conscious
If your son is self-conscious about public displays of affection, find a compromise.
—
Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 29 May 2025
Stock image of a man sitting apart from others, looking self-conscious.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
These meta-references might have registered as little more than self-conscious tics, but Robinson’s aggressively eccentric performance gives them a prickly, ultimately disturbing sense of purpose.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
If you’re rusty on bar etiquette or self-conscious about how to act on a night out, John deBary is here to help.
—Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-conscious
Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 29 May 2025
Stock image of a man sitting apart from others, looking self-conscious.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
These meta-references might have registered as little more than self-conscious tics, but Robinson’s aggressively eccentric performance gives them a prickly, ultimately disturbing sense of purpose.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
If you’re rusty on bar etiquette or self-conscious about how to act on a night out, John deBary is here to help.
—Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-conscious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-conscious
Adjective
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Most people are embarrassed to raise their voices in public and therefore equate it with being rude.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
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Instead, the tickets only became affordable when the organization’s president was at risk of being embarrassed by attendances.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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Edan Lui of Hong Kong boy band Mirror will also make his Korean drama debut in the new season, joining the cast in a role that pairs him in an uneasy alliance with Kim Do-gi.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2025
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Repeatedly returning to themes of globalization and alienation, the 55-year-old director has meticulously chronicled his country’s uneasy plunge into the 21st century as rampant industrialization risks deadening those left behind.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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And also burst into laughter – uncomfortable laughter.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
29 June 2025
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The uncomfortable truth is that economics, not ethics, will be the final arbiter of the transition's speed, even if ethics gets to set the goal.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-conscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-conscious. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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