as in sadness
disapproving
a feeling of pity for yourself because you believe you have suffered more than is fair or reasonable
He was wallowing in self-pity. She spoke without a trace of self-pity.
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Recent Examples of self-pity
There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear.
—
Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
You’re allowed to want more, of course, but be wary of getting stuck in the quagmire of self-pity.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Valdez didn’t create from a place of self-pity or victimhood, but with a bit of chip on his shoulder — eager to prove wrong those who underestimated him based on his background.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
There’s something delicious about his cocktail of self-pity and self-loathing, which can arouse both the viewer’s repulsion and compassion.
—Susie Goldsbrough, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-pity
Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
You’re allowed to want more, of course, but be wary of getting stuck in the quagmire of self-pity.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Valdez didn’t create from a place of self-pity or victimhood, but with a bit of chip on his shoulder — eager to prove wrong those who underestimated him based on his background.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
There’s something delicious about his cocktail of self-pity and self-loathing, which can arouse both the viewer’s repulsion and compassion.
—Susie Goldsbrough, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-pity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-pity
Noun
-
There is only sadness that they're gone.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Osanmoh notes that although losing might elicit some feelings of sadness, disappointment, and even anger in kids of all ages, this outcome has serious value.—
Stephanie Ganz,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dolly Parton delivered a candid health update while kicking off the 2026 season at Dollywood, revealing grief took a physical toll after the death of her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
14 Mar. 2026
-
There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tilahun Kebede, president of the South Ethiopia Regional State, expressed his sorrow over the disaster and urged residents to move to higher ground as rains continue.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The series is about the horrific shock of unexpected sorrow, how death can divide families (or bring people together) and how navigating pain can alter perspectives and paths forward.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some acknowledged the possibility that melancholy could be inherited.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Mar. 2026
-
What plucks at the heartstrings with its Herb Alpert studio melancholy sounds a little fried here, the song’s plaintive, tentative charm buried under thrashing improvisation.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Colin Dorgan battled through misery to achieve triumph for his Rhode Island boys high school hockey team on Wednesday night.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The misery inflicted on the thousands of Maryland commuters is merely the stick to drive more people to consider ailing public transportation options.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Every repeat viewing of Abraham's performance reveals some new moment of humiliation — some fresh sickening glimmer of anguish that feels all too familiar.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
At the cemetery, drug-war widows unleashed on him the full force of their anger and anguish.—
Sheila Coronel,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His injured spine, largely untreated since a wall collapsed on him during an Israeli air raid nine months ago, was still in agony, leaving him incontinent and unable to stand.—
Steve Hendrix,
Washington Post,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For the second time in less than three weeks, the Bayern Munich left-back and Canada captain was forced to hobble off the pitch in agony.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
To fill the space, models are turning away from doomscrolling (there’s enough doom and gloom in the news right now) and toward novels.—
Arden Fanning Andrews,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In the meantime, rounds of rain, gloom and chilly temperatures are in the forecast.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-pity. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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