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Definition of "self-deprecating" [self-deprecating]

  • Tending to undervalue oneself and one's abilities. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "self-deprecating" in a sentence
  • "Reminds me (since Georgia is an attorney) of the self-deprecating Senator Sam Ervin whose eloquence was legendary."
  • "When life is cruel, finding even a shred of humor or a little self-deprecating chuckle is sometimes just what the doctor ordered."
  • "If you were to ask him that question directly, his answer would probably be diffident, jokey or evasive, in keeping with the self-deprecating reticence that has helped make him so popular with followers of the sport."