as in sadness
disapproving
a feeling of pity for yourself because you believe you have suffered more than is fair or reasonable
He was wallowing in self-pity. She spoke without a trace of self-pity.
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Recent Examples of self-pity
Despite the challenges, Urso refused to indulge in self-pity.
—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Those reflections on youthful passion contrast sharply with the Mozzer’s current state of self-pity.
—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
Winning an Olympic gold medal with Team USA last month has undoubtedly helped his mood, but there’s also a level of maturity at this stage of his career — and life — that doesn’t leave much room for self-pity.
—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
However, those not feeling the lovey-dovey vibe of the month don't need to wallow in self-pity.
—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-pity
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Those reflections on youthful passion contrast sharply with the Mozzer’s current state of self-pity.
—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
Winning an Olympic gold medal with Team USA last month has undoubtedly helped his mood, but there’s also a level of maturity at this stage of his career — and life — that doesn’t leave much room for self-pity.
—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
However, those not feeling the lovey-dovey vibe of the month don't need to wallow in self-pity.
—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-pity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-pity
Noun
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Each room explores a different human emotion — joy and love, fear and hope, sadness and gratitude, anger and resilience.
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Working again with collaborators Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Shahzad Ismaily (Ceramic Dog) and joined by Nick Hakim and drummer Tom Skinner (the Smile), Orton uses The Ground Above to create weighty songs that deal with both joy and sadness.
Noun
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After learning that her friend Shannon’s mother has died in a car accident, Elle is suddenly facing her first real encounter with grief and, unable to sit with it, throws herself into planning the memorial, down to selecting the music.
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This town has known seasons of many stripes, from that autumn of grief after 9/11 to that spring of solitude and trepidation as COVID-19 first emerged.
Noun
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Kara is addicted to drowning her sorrows and avoiding responsibility, but learns to embrace heroism after embarking on a quest for revenge alongside Ruthye (Eve Ridley).
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Parting is such sweet sorrow, but these guys aren’t going gently into the night just yet.
Noun
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Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
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Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy.
Noun
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The Charlotte region will start feeling like a frying pan come Wednesday, and forecasters expect the sticky misery to linger into next week.
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But the misery of the heat would add to the story told over natural wine at a bar back home.
Noun
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Some mourners, gathering at the funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday, expressed both anguish and a desire for vengeance.
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And with that decision, the company narrowed the chance that the mother’s anguish could draw attention to any danger the formula might pose to other infants.
Noun
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Adding to Rezaeian’s agony, right before the final whistle another potential clincher, a header from Khalilzadeh, hit the crossbar.
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The agony of Sudan runs deep; its history is crisscrossed with blood.
Noun
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The broader mood tracks right alongside, with 40% expecting AI to be bad for society over the next twenty years against 16% who expect good, the gloom running deepest among adults under 30, and 63% saying the whole thing is moving too fast.
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The partying turned to gloom after the temblors.
Cite this Entry
“Self-pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-pity. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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