as in embarrassed
concerned with the way one is perceived by others
He used to feel self-conscious about his belly.
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Recent Examples of self-conscious
But The Moment is too self-conscious to really commit to such silliness.
—
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
That said, international filmmaking is in feeble shape, partly because of the jambalaya of international co-productions, partly because of the inroads of television aesthetics, and partly because of the cloistered aestheticism of self-conscious art-house cinema.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
When a young Parton felt self-conscious about her homemade clothes, her mother would remind her of the Biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
The book presents itself as a comic take on the classic adultery novel and a send-up of a narrow, self-conscious group of downwardly mobile New Yorkers.
—Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-conscious
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
That said, international filmmaking is in feeble shape, partly because of the jambalaya of international co-productions, partly because of the inroads of television aesthetics, and partly because of the cloistered aestheticism of self-conscious art-house cinema.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
When a young Parton felt self-conscious about her homemade clothes, her mother would remind her of the Biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
The book presents itself as a comic take on the classic adultery novel and a send-up of a narrow, self-conscious group of downwardly mobile New Yorkers.
—Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-conscious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-conscious
Adjective
-
Better word choice than embarrassed.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
It was embarrassed by a wave of corruption, abuse and other misconduct by some of the new hires.—
Ryan J. Foley,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Stage’s version translates the already uneasy feelings of hearing acid house reduced to happy-go-lucky plastic into something out of an actual acid trip.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Bashar is on the left, his body slightly angled away, his face uneasy.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Starmer fired Mandelson in September after a tranche of emails revealed uncomfortable details about his ties to Epstein.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Also, some users reported that rocks, mud and other softer substances get caught in the holes of the sole, making walking uncomfortable.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-conscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-conscious. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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