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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-deprecating
Finally, Green Day did respond, and in characteristically cheeky and slightly self-deprecating fashion.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2025
The eldest daughter of King Frederik and Queen Mary turns 18 on April 21 and surprised the audience by cracking a self-deprecating joke at the start of her remarks at Aarhus City Hall on April 11.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Each self-deprecating joke gained momentary acceptance from white classmates who wanted permission to laugh at my difference without feeling guilty.
—Philippa Pham Hughes, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
Jay Ryan pulls off a complete 180 from his malevolent-gangster work in Top of the Lake and, as polar researcher Alistair, nails the series’ self-deprecating white-guy jokes.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2025
The eldest daughter of King Frederik and Queen Mary turns 18 on April 21 and surprised the audience by cracking a self-deprecating joke at the start of her remarks at Aarhus City Hall on April 11.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Each self-deprecating joke gained momentary acceptance from white classmates who wanted permission to laugh at my difference without feeling guilty.
—Philippa Pham Hughes, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
Jay Ryan pulls off a complete 180 from his malevolent-gangster work in Top of the Lake and, as polar researcher Alistair, nails the series’ self-deprecating white-guy jokes.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-deprecating
Adjective
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Netflix 19 of 20 A Tale of Two Kitchens (2019) The modest length of this short — which clocks in at 30 minutes — reflects its humble attitude.—
Katie Rife,
EW.com,
11 May 2025
-
Flatten It Out Sea turtles don't have much mobility on land, and even the humblest sand structure can be a major obstacle to nesting females making their way across the sand or to hatchlings heading back toward the water.—
Katie Akin,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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According to the latest report from L.A.’s film office, production days on location decreased more than 22 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with an already meek period in 2024.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
2 May 2025
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Democrats, unable either to diagnose or to admit to their own failings, measured their victories in the meekest of triumphs, and seemed to have lost all sense of purpose, direction, and proportion.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-deprecating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-deprecating. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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