as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
he's dating a sweet, self-effacing girl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of self-effacing
With perfect timing, a self-effacing delivery made for banquets, only Denehy could tell them just right.
—
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025
Ed Ulbrich is fairly self-effacing about his calling as a builder of bridges between entertainment and technology.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 2 July 2025
As recently widowed Irene Chao, Liu trades her signature strut for a self-effacing shuffle, using makeup not to accentuate her beauty but to downplay it.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 June 2025
In between her many, many self-effacing barbs, Glaser slid in some stingers about the guests seated before her.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-effacing
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025
Ed Ulbrich is fairly self-effacing about his calling as a builder of bridges between entertainment and technology.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 2 July 2025
As recently widowed Irene Chao, Liu trades her signature strut for a self-effacing shuffle, using makeup not to accentuate her beauty but to downplay it.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 June 2025
In between her many, many self-effacing barbs, Glaser slid in some stingers about the guests seated before her.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-effacing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-effacing
Adjective
-
Set in Taiwan in 1988, Girl revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Unfortunately, further discussions were heated, with no resolve, just more withdrawn behavior while the communications continued.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
However, at the Budapest world championships in 2023, Alfred was just shy of a podium finish in both of her events.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Instead, the president hasn’t been shy about wanting elite colleges to foot the bill.—
Liam Knox,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The next morning, Onley was bashful at hearing that praise.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
-
Her brand of studied, bashful flightiness began to seem more passé than winkingly subversive.—
Mayukh Sen,
The Atlantic,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-effacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-effacing. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share