as in diffident
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Recent Examples of self-critical
The most exceptional neurosurgeons are those who maintain a rigorous, yet constructive, self-critical mindset, perpetually seeking ways to elevate their calling.
—
Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Expect results or revelations now, and avoid being too self-critical.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
Last—but definitely not least—the influence of social media, videos, and movies can be a major reason kids are overly self-critical, Bibi notes.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 21 July 2025
Initially, participants completed assessments of two forms of perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism (harsh self-judgment and fear of mistakes) and personal standards perfectionism, as well as measures of anxiety and depression.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Brooding rumination involves passively dwelling on negative feelings, usually in a self-critical loop.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Her self-critical editing generated a great deal of confusion.
—Susan Gubar
june 9, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
Avery, a shy and self-critical perfectionist, is drawn to Taylor but wary of her reputation as a heartbreaker.
—Diya Chacko, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2025
But the interview revealed Francis as a complex, brooding figure—a Catholic whose deep faith seemed personal more than theological or institutional, and a cleric who was at once self-critical and critical of the Church he had been elected to lead.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Expect results or revelations now, and avoid being too self-critical.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
Last—but definitely not least—the influence of social media, videos, and movies can be a major reason kids are overly self-critical, Bibi notes.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 21 July 2025
Initially, participants completed assessments of two forms of perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism (harsh self-judgment and fear of mistakes) and personal standards perfectionism, as well as measures of anxiety and depression.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Brooding rumination involves passively dwelling on negative feelings, usually in a self-critical loop.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Her self-critical editing generated a great deal of confusion.
—Susan Gubar
june 9, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
Avery, a shy and self-critical perfectionist, is drawn to Taylor but wary of her reputation as a heartbreaker.
—Diya Chacko, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2025
But the interview revealed Francis as a complex, brooding figure—a Catholic whose deep faith seemed personal more than theological or institutional, and a cleric who was at once self-critical and critical of the Church he had been elected to lead.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-critical
Adjective
-
In the new film Hot Milk, the sensual but diffident 20-something Sofia (Emma Mackey) travels with her invalid mother, Rose (Fiona Shaw), to the Mediterranean shores of Spain in search of an experimental cure for the latter’s (possibly hypochondriac) illness.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
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Today, they’re considered all-time greats, geniuses of melody and tension and originators of the diffident, philosophical mode that came to dominate American guitar rock in the new century.—
Armin Rosen,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Arab governments that for decades have been fierce advocates for the Palestinian cause are now facing criticism for their timid response to the extreme suffering in Gaza caused by Israel's war, risking a dangerous rift with their increasingly restive citizens.—
Mo Abbas,
NBC news,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Known for its timid and gentle nature, the snake is semiaquatic and nocturnal, feeding on earthworms in captivity.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The film stars Mark Feuerstein as Rabbi Mo, a humble leader in a high-desert Jewish community who is thrust into the role of reluctant warrior after a violent attack shakes his world.—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
14 Aug. 2025
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Chelsea may go into the new Premier League campaign wearing a gold badge on their shirts that marks them out as reigning world champions after their triumph in the United States last month but, internally, the message from the club hierarchy is to stay humble and keep working.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative, where an individual tends to give up on their own needs and acquiesce to the desires of others by disengaging from the situation altogether.—
Ellen Choi,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Accommodating, which is unassertive and cooperative, prioritizes the needs and preferences of others over one’s own in order to maintain harmony.—
Ellen Choi,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-critical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-critical. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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