as in guilt
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
he was filled with self-reproach for causing the accident
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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
-
Rarely have an actor's eyes been put to such good use, as Murphy's thousand-yard stare communicates guilt, regret, and anxious anticipation of how his life's work will impact the world for generations to come.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
His parents, Frank and Tiffany Urrutia, said they were stunned to hear Perez admit guilt during Thursday’s court hearing.—
Abby Dodge,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Following the shocking experience of a survivor, the film highlights the power of courage, as well as forgiveness, when remorse is genuine.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Let’s hope the powers that be in Tallahassee have a case of legislative remorse.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In a conversation with Paul Thomas Anderson, DiCaprio admitted that passing on the lead role in Boogie Nights was the biggest regret of his entire career.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
All have denied any wrongdoing or seeing anything untoward on their visits, and many have expressed regret at associating with Epstein.—
Isabelle Chapman,
CNN Money,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Where he is sited now is unlikely to gain much attention, and even fewer people are likely to come across him, which is a shame.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
-
After losing the Big 12 championship to Arizona Saturday night (no shame in that, the Wildcats are the 1-seed in the West region), Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars secured the 2-spot in the South and a date with Idaho in Oklahoma City.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-reproach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-reproach. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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