as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
he's dating a sweet, self-effacing girl
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Recent Examples of self-effacing
Thomas is atypical in another regard as the floor leader, given his naturally quiet, self-effacing manner.
—
Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
During that time, a self-effacing marksman named Simo Häyhä, a sniper so grimly effective he was known and feared as the White Death, would prove invaluable to the Finns’ ability to hold off the Soviet advance.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
Indeed, for all its minor-key notes and self-effacing comedy, this is really a very serious film about loss, and while the plight of a petty street thief might seem like the least of our worries, Sagan’s film wants to capture these dark moments; in a Diane Arbus way, before they’re gone.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Because his subject was surrounded by colorful and often unpredictable characters—alcoholics, neurotics, and blowhards—Perkins’s self-effacing qualities make for a dramatic contrast and a wealth of wild stories.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-effacing
Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
During that time, a self-effacing marksman named Simo Häyhä, a sniper so grimly effective he was known and feared as the White Death, would prove invaluable to the Finns’ ability to hold off the Soviet advance.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
Indeed, for all its minor-key notes and self-effacing comedy, this is really a very serious film about loss, and while the plight of a petty street thief might seem like the least of our worries, Sagan’s film wants to capture these dark moments; in a Diane Arbus way, before they’re gone.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Because his subject was surrounded by colorful and often unpredictable characters—alcoholics, neurotics, and blowhards—Perkins’s self-effacing qualities make for a dramatic contrast and a wealth of wild stories.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-effacing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-effacing
Adjective
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Parents report that many children stop eating, lose weight and become withdrawn.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
6 Feb. 2026
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Along the way, Babilonia matured from the shy withdrawn child who refused to hold a boy’s hand into a bold, strong and confident woman.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Soto finished a triple shy of the cycle.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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The contest, which awards half of the pot to a winner and donates the other half to charity after expenses, has sold just shy of $350 million (C$472 million) in tickets since 2001, resulting in about $175 million (C$236 million) in prizes for residents of Alberta.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The bashful display marks rock-bottom for Gabbard’s career.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
19 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, some of Brady’s former teammates with the Patriots weren’t bashful about their loyalty heading into Super Bowl LX between the Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, including Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-effacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-effacing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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