Self-deprecating

//ˌsɛlfˈdɛpɹəˌkeɪtɪŋ// adj, verb

adj, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    present participle and gerund of self-deprecate form-of, gerund, participle, present
Adjective
  1. 1
    Expressing disapproval of oneself.

    "Mention sex, and the English humour reflex kicks in. And we all know that self-deprecating jokes are the most effective, the most widely appreciated form of humour."

  2. 2
    unassuming, modest
Adjective
  1. 1
    conscious of your own shortcomings wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
deprecatorydiffidentself-deprecatoryself-effacing

Example

More examples

"His sense of humor was self-deprecating, a sign of his low self-esteem."

Etymology

From self- + deprecating.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.