self-effacing
adjective
self-ef·fac·ing
ˌself-i-ˈfā-siŋ 
-e-
: having or showing a tendency to make oneself modestly or shyly inconspicuous
His passions and faith run soul-deep, his gentle wit is always self-effacing and never insulting …—
Don Gaetz
Don Gaetz… she was an extremely self-effacing, private person who never sought the limelight and did not leave the usual artifacts that enable a biographer to reconstruct life patterns.—Douglas R. McManis
Douglas R. McManisSynonyms
Examples of self-effacing in a Sentence
he's dating a sweet, self-effacing girl
Recent Examples on the Web
Cher is a bracing read, peppered with caustic quips and self-effacing anecdotes, but fundamentally frank.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
With his self-effacing sense of humor and willingness to dive fully into any character, Paul was perfect for the part.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 18 Nov. 2024
An… The Brink of Peace: The Israeli-Syrian Negotiations An informed, thoughtful, and refreshingly self-effacing insider's study of a four-year negotiation.
—Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
From the premiere stage, Hoult recalled his excitement at discovering Eastwood wanted him for the film’s central role but also the director’s self-effacing dig at his own advancing age.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-effacing 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
With his self-effacing sense of humor and willingness to dive fully into any character, Paul was perfect for the part.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 18 Nov. 2024
An… The Brink of Peace: The Israeli-Syrian Negotiations An informed, thoughtful, and refreshingly self-effacing insider's study of a four-year negotiation.
—Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
From the premiere stage, Hoult recalled his excitement at discovering Eastwood wanted him for the film’s central role but also the director’s self-effacing dig at his own advancing age.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-effacing
Articles Related to self-effacing
Dictionary Entries Near self-effacing
Cite this Entry
“Self-effacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-effacing. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share