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
  • Doing so is not only a matter of altruism; the United States itself will have to grapple with migrants fleeing failing states, pandemics, and the dangers of climate change.
    — Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026
  • To be certain, analysts say there's little altruism in how China came to sit on its massive stockpile of oil.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of altruism
Noun
  • That has not stopped the computer programs from becoming a beloved part of the MCU, though, which is why the writers can get away with presenting JARVIS deleting his code to clear server space as heroic act of self-sacrifice in the second episode.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This image influenced the Italian view of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, in which European journalists presented the Japanese soldiers as samurai-like paragons of discipline and self-sacrifice.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of self-sacrifice
Noun
  • Trump’s magnanimity comes as China and the United States are in a contest for global leadership, with some of America’s traditional allies rethinking their strategies.
    — Josh Boak, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Trump, for his part, spun the Fund as yet more evidence of his magnanimity.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
Definition of magnanimity
Noun
  • Woolf treats this psychic drama seriously and with great generosity and tenderness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • My response was to remind them that their generosity could have big financial consequences.
    — Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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