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self-effacement

[self-i-fays-muhnt, self-] / ˈsɛlf ɪˈfeɪs mənt, ˌsɛlf- /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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“Bluesky apology forms” even began to circulate among lefties with a sense of humor and self-effacement.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

But underneath the self-effacement often lies a healthy ego.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026

“Acting felt like the thing I could fake, because everybody else was so good at everything,” she said with typical self-effacement.

From New York Times ● Apr. 24, 2023

As the interview winds down, Sharpton calls himself, with an uncharacteristic mix of self-effacement and understatement, “some fat guy from Brooklyn who lost the weight and got some stuff done.”

From Washington Post ● Dec. 5, 2022

It is safer, you conclude, to choose self-effacement at this critical moment in your career.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker


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