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
The work of avoiding such ignominious history and getting this turned around is Warren Schaeffer’s to do, and the former Yard Goats skipper is not giving despair or self-pity the time of day.
—
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2025
And Carl realizes that a new case is just the thing to pull Hardy out of his spiral of self-pity.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
Embrace them with curiosity, not self-pity; with adventure, not anxiety.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
And when his self-pity about the injury turns into a weird possessiveness upon the discovery of Dwight’s very real concussion (from a car crash on his way to rescue Michael, mind you), the episode reaches another level.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-pity
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2025
And Carl realizes that a new case is just the thing to pull Hardy out of his spiral of self-pity.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
Embrace them with curiosity, not self-pity; with adventure, not anxiety.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
And when his self-pity about the injury turns into a weird possessiveness upon the discovery of Dwight’s very real concussion (from a car crash on his way to rescue Michael, mind you), the episode reaches another level.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-pity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-pity
Noun
-
Yes, the money is important, but the grief from your father’s death and the confusion around the inheritance have created wounds that money wouldn’t fix.—
Eric Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 July 2025
-
But this time, grief and fear were tinged with a fleeting hope for change that quickly gave way to despair.—
Dan Bilefsky,
HollywoodReporter,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
July always arrives with a blend of sunshine and sorrow for me.—
Belal Aftab,
Mercury News,
13 July 2025
-
In humanitarian tents, children gather to share their fears and sorrows, and to comfort one another.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement The answering note to its prevailing ironic treatment of Sir Walter is of course the melancholy and hint of regret that suffuse much of the novel’s tone.—
Brandon Taylor,
Time,
17 July 2025
-
Over a balmy, slowly dissipating summer, nothing really pushes or pulls our aimless hero in either direction, and in this state of happy stagnation, melancholy becomes a comfort blanket.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
That simplistic assessment would not account for the first student’s misery or the second child’s enjoyment.—
Iddo Gefen,
Twin Cities,
16 July 2025
-
Forced to comply with stereotypical African-American misery, Burnett works best outside Hollywood formula.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
But the first lady and I are here in Texas to express the love and support and the anguish of our entire nation in the aftermath of this really horrific and deadly flood.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
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Ming-Na Wen Tapped Into Deep Emotions To Play Dr. Fong In ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ While Ming-Na Wen doesn’t throw a punch in Karate Kid: Legends, that doesn’t mean her character hasn’t been in past battles, particularly those dealing with mental anguish.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
The point isn’t just to resolve in-the-moment agony.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
16 July 2025
-
Jamal Musiala was writhing in agony, but what really hit hard was the way players on both teams were reacting to the Bayern Munich forward’s injury.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
Set in Taiwan in 1988, the intergenerational drama revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 July 2025
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Barely discernible in the May gloom, a glint of purple shone from the jacaranda’s canopy; nearby, seed pods dotted patches of green.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Extreme heat can also be an obstacle to exercising, spending time in nature, and socializing, all of which can make people feel good and also double as important coping mechanisms for emotional distress.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
26 July 2025
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During pregnancy, their mothers endured heat, as well as dehydration and emotional distress.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-pity. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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