as in humble
formal
meant to make yourself or the things you do seem unimportant
He spoke in a self-deprecating tone. self-deprecating humor
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Recent Examples of self-deprecating
The film is considered one of the great romantic comedies of all time, with Keaton’s eccentric, self-deprecating Annie at its heart.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
The content is heavy but told with a light hand and a bit of self-deprecating humor.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
Some of Swift's best work comes from her self-deprecating moods, and this track, with its self-loathing but super catchy lyrics, is no exception.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
When Arnett’s character attempts open-mic standup at a comedy club with confessional, self-deprecating material, a whole new world opens for him.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
The content is heavy but told with a light hand and a bit of self-deprecating humor.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
Some of Swift's best work comes from her self-deprecating moods, and this track, with its self-loathing but super catchy lyrics, is no exception.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
When Arnett’s character attempts open-mic standup at a comedy club with confessional, self-deprecating material, a whole new world opens for him.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-deprecating
Adjective
-
From bright, bold hard-shell spinners to the humble duffel bag, carry-on luggage comes in seemingly endless varieties.—
Sal Vaglica,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Well, maybe not cheering, exactly, but at least nodding in mild appreciation at a movie that realizes its humble and happy purpose.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This meek performance prompted a furious reaction from the fanbase.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Tessa Thompson stars as the willful heroine, married to a rather meek academic, George Tesman (Tom Bateman), who’s angling for an important university position.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-deprecating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-deprecating. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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