as in self-deprecating
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Recent Examples of self-deprecatory
Prior to sharing his self-deprecatory costume, Vance marked the holiday with another one of his viral memes.
—
Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025
His TikTok alone is a treasure trove of hilarious videos, which range from self-deprecatory humor to him hopping on whatever viral trend is tickling his fancy.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Though it’s been less than two weeks since Conan O’Brien made his Oscars hosting debut, the famously self-deprecatory comedian is already discussing how things could’ve gone differently.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Mar. 2025
But here, Astrov, given great self-deprecatory wit by William Jackson Harper, is more dimensional than usual, including, for once, an interest in trees that’s as painfully visceral as his interest in Elena.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025
His TikTok alone is a treasure trove of hilarious videos, which range from self-deprecatory humor to him hopping on whatever viral trend is tickling his fancy.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Though it’s been less than two weeks since Conan O’Brien made his Oscars hosting debut, the famously self-deprecatory comedian is already discussing how things could’ve gone differently.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Mar. 2025
But here, Astrov, given great self-deprecatory wit by William Jackson Harper, is more dimensional than usual, including, for once, an interest in trees that’s as painfully visceral as his interest in Elena.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-deprecatory
Adjective
-
That’s not true, but the comedian, 69, is prone to self-deprecating humor.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Here is the regular guy who loves shooting hoops, who is hopeless with a hammer, who loves a self-deprecating story about walking into a glass wall or almost falling off a ladder, and whose wife, Lori, is always, always right.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
During that time, a self-effacing marksman named Simo Häyhä, a sniper so grimly effective he was known and feared as the White Death, would prove invaluable to the Finns’ ability to hold off the Soviet advance.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Indeed, for all its minor-key notes and self-effacing comedy, this is really a very serious film about loss, and while the plight of a petty street thief might seem like the least of our worries, Sagan’s film wants to capture these dark moments; in a Diane Arbus way, before they’re gone.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The monster storm with an unassuming name — Fern — dumped more than a foot of snow in some parts of Indiana, disrupted travel for thousands and wreaked havoc on other parts of the country from Texas to the East Coast.—
Jen Guadarrama,
IndyStar,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Paddleboards are disembarked next to an unassuming cliff face.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The plot follows an upper-class widow, Cary Scott (Jane Wyman), who falls for a much younger, down-to-earth, handsome gardener-landscaper, Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson).—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
6 Feb. 2026
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Whether playing banjo, guitar or the percussion instrument known as bones, Flemons is a walking encyclopedia of pre-war African-American string-band styles, blues, country and Black cowboy folk songs whose performances are wonderfully down-to-earth.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Whereas Bowen’s upbringing created a natural affinity with Proust, his work also struck a chord with contemporaries of more humble origin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
-
For Newsom, a middle-aged man with a large, young family, a glow of professional attainment, and, most days, enough Oribe Crème in his hair to dress a good Crab Louie, the challenge has been to look both humble and concerned.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But savings were meek, with the largest dip found in Stockton, off only 4% last year vs up 2% in 2024 and 36% over the previous four years.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Soft power isn’t about being meek.—
Penny Abeywardena,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Meloni-like cherub is shown in a deferential pose toward the king.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The memorandum filed Monday argues the court should not adopt the deferential standard of arbitrary or capricious.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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There was no aw-shucks mugging, no twee riffs on lunchbox junk food: his cooking was precise, focussed, with a near-reverential attention to detail, and a high-end sensibility.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
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How Maye and his aw-shucks demeanor became a big-play bully in leading one of the game’s most prolific offenses.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-deprecatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-deprecatory. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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