as in diffident
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Recent Examples of self-critical
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
To move forward with compassion, challenge self-critical thoughts.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Hendriksen said that some people are simply wired to be self-critical.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
Farke discussed how self-critical Meslier is last week.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
And where the confident, outgoing Navarro was comfortable being the center of attention, Avery was a reserved bookish subversive, and quietly self-critical.
—Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
That’s an important distinction for a player as reflective and self-critical as Williams tends to be.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 2024
Riley was considerably less self-critical when asked about his team’s offensive philosophy to start the game, even though the Trojans were held to just three points in the first two quarters.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
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
To move forward with compassion, challenge self-critical thoughts.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Hendriksen said that some people are simply wired to be self-critical.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
Farke discussed how self-critical Meslier is last week.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
And where the confident, outgoing Navarro was comfortable being the center of attention, Avery was a reserved bookish subversive, and quietly self-critical.
—Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
That’s an important distinction for a player as reflective and self-critical as Williams tends to be.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 2024
Riley was considerably less self-critical when asked about his team’s offensive philosophy to start the game, even though the Trojans were held to just three points in the first two quarters.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-critical
Adjective
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Only a monumental defeat could stop South Africa qualifying for the semifinals so there was a rather diffident air to proceedings.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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In 2022, Quan starred as Waymond Wang, a seemingly diffident husband who transforms into a martial arts expert when crossing multiverses to save his family in the Daniels’ wild and emotional film Everything Everywhere All at Once.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In general at the N4G summit, and in particular at a side event at the Brazilian embassy themed around food systems and climate change, discussions of climate change were timid about mentioning industrial livestock’s role in land-use change.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Wu was seen as timid at the beginning of the migrant crisis, staying in the background while Healey seized a Roxbury community rec center as a migrant shelter.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This match was brimming with goals and officiating controversy, and on the whole, the weekend was a humble reminder to everyone who dared question the chaos quotient in this league: The limit does not exist.—
Emily Olsen,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Amidst heated debate about what sneaker will take the Adidas Sambas’ crown for shoe du jour, Richie Grainge offered up the humble Reebok.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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 3 May. 2025.
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