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self-flagellation

noun

Definition of self-flagellationnext
as in self-annihilation

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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-flagellation Both the criticism and self-flagellation imply that the act of claiming another person’s words can render these words deceitful, even if the words have been paid for and the content is true. — Emily Hodgson Anderson, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2026 Others, including Halverson, would like to see the self-flagellation calm down. — Joshua Partlow, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2026 Every year on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar and the same day as the Battle of Karbala, Shiite Muslims inside and outside of Iran observe Ashura and commemorate the slaying of Hussain by reenacting his death and performing self-flagellation, among other rituals. — Eric Lob, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026 The same could be said for Howe’s lacerating self-flagellation afterwards. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-flagellation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-flagellation
  1. self-annihilation
  2. self-immolation
  3. altruism
  4. self-sacrifice
  5. magnanimity
  6. generosity
Noun
  • The will toward self-annihilation is a familiar human characteristic.
    — Henry Freedland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Her self-annihilation is grisly and impossible to misinterpret as a final repudiation of her role in the HMS Courageous bombing and, until Grace announces she’d like Hal to be her vice-president, is the most intense and far-reaching twist of the episode.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Definition of self-annihilation
Noun
  • YouTube was used to widely share videos, including the initial protests in Tunisia following the self-immolation of a fruit vendor.
    — David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026
  • People in crisis incarcerated in Joliet have set over 60 fires since summer 2024, including eight cases of self-immolation and, after guards impeded access to lifesaving care, at least one death.
    — Joan Steffen, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of self-immolation
Noun
  • The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award was established in 2002 to honor an individual in the television industry whose humanitarian efforts exemplify those of its namesake and his altruism.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The United States should not echo its 1970s policies around food power, during which officials boasted of altruism while attempting to exert political strength by alternatively deploying and withholding its grain supply.
    — Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of altruism
Noun
  • Today’s Leo solar eclipse asks you to quit romanticizing self-sacrifice.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The crucible of childbirth is often spoken of as transformative, the self-sacrifice of pregnancy as part of becoming a parent.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of self-sacrifice
Noun
  • Trump, for his part, spun the Fund as yet more evidence of his magnanimity.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
  • But Beijing’s magnanimity isn’t going to transform the continent’s economy.
    — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 1 May 2026
Definition of magnanimity
Noun
  • New Yorkers put their generosity and sense of community on display, helping fuel a long and difficult climb not just to rebuild, but to reckon with what had happened.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • It has been accumulated over generations through millions of acts of service and generosity.
    — Brian Peckrill, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of generosity

Browse Nearby Words

self-flagellating
self-flagellation
self-flattering
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Cite this Entry

“Self-flagellation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-flagellation. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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