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
-
Cashier have a bit of a self-deprecating streak.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Step into Lucy Score’s romance universe Score is goofy and humble, ready with a dirty or self-deprecating joke.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For instance, many people praised former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s empathetic, self-effacing leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an openness and deference to experts.—
Barret Michalec,
The Conversation,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The self-effacing Kress downplayed the moment.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Maybe Yamamoto’s unassuming everyman act is just that good?—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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Otherwise, the Luma is physically the same unassuming and comfortable pair of smart glasses as the Luma Pro.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Buchanan also loved meeting the big-name architects the group brought to Dallas — who in turn seemed to naturally gravitate to the down-to-earth Dallasite with the warm demeanor and beautiful smile.—
Trevor Bach,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Skeptical homeowners in the area, however, have helped slow the community’s growth, noting that taller buildings resembling Oakland’s downtown apartment towers would fundamentally alter Rockridge’s down-to-earth feel.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kayla is a humble and gracious student who leads with quiet strength and a genuine love for dance.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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After pulling off another iconic play Saturday, Reaves had a more humble message.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet beneath what might seem a meek exterior lies a steely determination.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
14 Mar. 2026
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Some of the ire contributing to the unedifying scenes at full-time owed to just how meek Villa had been against the Premier League’s bottom team.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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At the start of the season, there was a deferential aspect to Jakucionis’ play, including his shooting.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Mar. 2026
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Harrell thinks the courts could be deferential to the White House in that respect, but that increasing the duty to 15 percent could invite greater legal scrutiny and make the argument more wobbly.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Especially Harbour, which checks out, seeing how showrunner Steven Conrad claims to have built the series around the actor’s perpetually warm, aw-shucks persona.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
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Bridgeman doesn’t speak with arrogance but with a calm, aw-shucks confidence.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-deprecatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-deprecatory. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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