self-deprecation

[ self-dep-ri-key-shuhn, self- ]

noun

1. the act or habit of belittling or undervaluing oneself; excessive modesty, often as a form of humor:

   There’s no need for self-deprecation—you're doing fine and shouldn’t be worried about your shortcomings.

   At the luau, the Hawaiian chief's deadpan delivery, self-deprecation, and gentle mockery of tourists was hilarious.

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-deprecation¹

First recorded in 1840–45; self- ( def ) + deprecation ( def )

Example Sentences

And she approaches the new fame with the internal self-deprecation and insecurity that fuels so many funny people.

From Los Angeles Times

But, self-deprecation aside, she says she's "gobsmacked" to see her show get tied in with the excitement of Harris' campaign, and has plans to get "extra involved," personally.

From Salon

Enter Reynolds, who, at a press conference earlier this month, emphasised the film’s unique identity - bringing edge and self-deprecation to an increasingly stale universe.

From BBC

She added she was dealing with her medical diagnosis with self-deprecation to "make people feel more comfortable about it".

From BBC

Casually breaking down a calendar chock-full of mom duties, self-care, creativity and, yes, many, many meetings with her trademark mix of confidence and self-deprecation, Kaling’s disarmingly approachable prose demystifies a nebulous entertainment industry job while keeping Kaling relatable.

From Los Angeles Times