self-deprecating
adjective
self-dep·re·cat·ing
ˌself-ˈde-pri-ˌkā-tiŋ 
: tending or serving to disparage or undervalue oneself
self-deprecating humor
He is far too self-deprecating … to assume the persona of a celebrity.—
Eve MacSweeney
Eve MacSweeney
self-deprecatingly
adverb
… his own informal cluster of American dissident scholars, which self-deprecatingly calls itself the "consolation club" …
—Franklin Foer
Franklin Foer
Examples of self-deprecating in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That self-deprecating humor is a cornerstone of her winning formula.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
O’Brien, known for his self-deprecating humor, emceed the Oscars this year and in 2025.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Schmidt will play Lori Gillespie, a strong-willed, self-deprecating attorney.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
Similarly, Carl Sandburg, David Herbert Donald, and Doris Kearns Goodwin have depicted a Lincoln marked by humble, self-deprecating self-awareness.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
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.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
O’Brien, known for his self-deprecating humor, emceed the Oscars this year and in 2025.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Schmidt will play Lori Gillespie, a strong-willed, self-deprecating attorney.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
Similarly, Carl Sandburg, David Herbert Donald, and Doris Kearns Goodwin have depicted a Lincoln marked by humble, self-deprecating self-awareness.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-deprecating
Cite this Entry
“Self-deprecating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-deprecating. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
