as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
he's dating a sweet, self-effacing girl
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-effacing
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
See more The sisters are funny and self-effacing in their delivery.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 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
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
See more The sisters are funny and self-effacing in their delivery.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 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Set in Taiwan in 1988, Girl revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—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Unfortunately, further discussions were heated, with no resolve, just more withdrawn behavior while the communications continued.—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
-
Playmakers available, underused Through eight quarters of Fitch’s offense, the 49ers haven’t been shy to spread the ball around.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
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Maddie is a great vegetarian chef, but has always been too shy to cook in front of an audience.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The next morning, Onley was bashful at hearing that praise.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
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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 8 Sep. 2025.
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