as in guilt
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
he was filled with self-reproach for causing the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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-reproach
Laughing, by contrast, conveyed that the person understood the mistake was trivial and didn’t require dramatic self-reproach.
—
Angela Haupt, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Recently, many have depicted motherhood as a harrowing ordeal of failure and self-reproach.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
The self-reproaches are reproaches against a loved object which have been shifted away from it on to the patient’s ego.
—Gary Greenberg, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
That guilt can deepen the cycle, turning what started as self-care into self-reproach.
—Christine Michel Carter, Parents, 20 May 2025
Orsolya is apparently wracked with feelings of complicity, though the film, which is made up mainly of extended shots of her conversations with other people, questions the sincerity of her self-reproach against a backdrop of ethnic tension and neoliberal sprawl in Romania.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Amanda’s self-reproach expresses a depressed national mood.
—Armond White, National Review, 10 Apr. 2024
Jihan was overtaken by bitterness and self-reproach.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Photo: andrew caballero-reynolds/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Festivus has its airing of grievances and the 2024 Democratic National Convention in August may feature the wailing of self-reproach.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023
Angela Haupt, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Recently, many have depicted motherhood as a harrowing ordeal of failure and self-reproach.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
The self-reproaches are reproaches against a loved object which have been shifted away from it on to the patient’s ego.
—Gary Greenberg, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
That guilt can deepen the cycle, turning what started as self-care into self-reproach.
—Christine Michel Carter, Parents, 20 May 2025
Orsolya is apparently wracked with feelings of complicity, though the film, which is made up mainly of extended shots of her conversations with other people, questions the sincerity of her self-reproach against a backdrop of ethnic tension and neoliberal sprawl in Romania.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Amanda’s self-reproach expresses a depressed national mood.
—Armond White, National Review, 10 Apr. 2024
Jihan was overtaken by bitterness and self-reproach.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Photo: andrew caballero-reynolds/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Festivus has its airing of grievances and the 2024 Democratic National Convention in August may feature the wailing of self-reproach.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-reproach
Noun
-
The prosecutors said the long lag showed consciousness of guilt.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Well, there are worse things to do with your guilt over saying something cruel in a drunken rant than throwing a very thoughtful 30th-birthday party, no?—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Miami Dolphins added an actual ton of beef to the defensive front in last year’s draft, and for half a season there seemed to be buyer’s remorse.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Ball, for his part, expressed remorse for his actions.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For many athletes, an injury of this magnitude could lead them down a dark path of regret, anger and even self-loathing, but with help from his village at TCU, Ibukun-Okeyode was able to forge his own path.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Their unexpected connection propels them on a road trip to San Francisco… As the landscapes shift from the bustling city to serene coastal towns, their relationship deepens, revealing vulnerabilities, regrets and dreams.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sam knows the shame Hally has suffered from his father’s drunken sprees.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
But even some of TMZ’s usual detractors have applauded its pivot to name-and-shame political coverage.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-reproach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reproach. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
