self-effacement
noun
self-ef·face·ment
ˌself-i-ˈfās-mənt 
-e-
plural self-effacements
: the placing or keeping of oneself in an inconspicuous role or position especially due to modesty or shyness
In his one-man show, satirist Robert Dubac takes aim at a culture that values the Kardashians more than character and ranks selfies over self-effacement.—
Judith Newmark
Judith NewmarkThe polite self-effacement of his Midwestern upbringing came through …—Jon Pareles
Jon ParelesExamples of self-effacement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From wry self-effacement, the Screen Actors Guild has suddenly opted for self-erasure.
—
Thomas Doherty,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
There’s no music, there’s no laughter, there’s no self-effacement.
—
Judy Kurtz,
The Hill,
14 Oct. 2025
But in Britain, expressions of self-confidence are often interpreted as arrogance, while self-effacement comes off as endearing and down-to-earth.
—
Madeleine Kearns,
National Review,
15 Feb. 2024
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Thomas Doherty,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
There’s no music, there’s no laughter, there’s no self-effacement.
—
Judy Kurtz,
The Hill,
14 Oct. 2025
But in Britain, expressions of self-confidence are often interpreted as arrogance, while self-effacement comes off as endearing and down-to-earth.
—
Madeleine Kearns,
National Review,
15 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-effacement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-effacement. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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