as in embarrassed
concerned with the way one is perceived by others
He used to feel self-conscious about his belly.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of self-conscious
Surgeries, hair loss, or scars can leave young women feeling self-conscious during a period of life when many of their friends are focused on starting relationships or families.
—
Julie Scott, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
These books, like Sean Thor Conroe’s Fuccboi; Adem Luz Rienspect’s Mixtape Hyperborea; Tony Tulathimutte’s Rejection; Sebastian Castillo’s Fresh, Green Life; and most recently, Jordan Castro’s Muscle Man, all depict the male psyche as a pulsing wound of self-conscious neurosis.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Advanced students can find the famous tape of them performing at a Harvard mixer, doing a cute song about how self-conscious everyone felt around the opposite sex.
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Soboleva was self-conscious at first, screaming in public.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-conscious
Julie Scott, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
These books, like Sean Thor Conroe’s Fuccboi; Adem Luz Rienspect’s Mixtape Hyperborea; Tony Tulathimutte’s Rejection; Sebastian Castillo’s Fresh, Green Life; and most recently, Jordan Castro’s Muscle Man, all depict the male psyche as a pulsing wound of self-conscious neurosis.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Advanced students can find the famous tape of them performing at a Harvard mixer, doing a cute song about how self-conscious everyone felt around the opposite sex.
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Soboleva was self-conscious at first, screaming in public.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-conscious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-conscious
Adjective
-
While the person being filmed is embarrassed, the one filming walks away with a reputation and clout.—
Eli Thompson,
Rolling Stone,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The narrator and her friend seem slightly embarrassed at the possibility of being overheard—seeing the couple perhaps reminds them that Americans are not simply an idea on a page or in a newspaper headline, but actual people.—
Rhian Sasseen,
The Atlantic,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lawler, the best known of the young actors thanks to her breakout work in Station Eleven, brings welcome awkward humor, while Stack, with the series’ most complex character, conveys an uneasy grasp on sanity that the rest of the show isn’t really prepared to deal with.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
-
BofA also points to a record 54% of investors who now believe that AI stocks are in a bubble, according to its most recent Global Fund Manager Survey—another reason for heightened vigilance around the market’s uneasy exuberance.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In its eerie, uncomfortable depiction of Derry as a toxic version of the all-American town, the series is sometimes more powerful than when Pennywise jumps at the screen.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
-
There’s certainly an authenticity to this development; who among us hasn’t procrastinated when facing an uncomfortable decision?—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-conscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-conscious. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share