🔊 Pronunciation: /ˌsɛlf əˈbeɪsmənt/
🗣️ Part of Speech: Noun
Definition:
Self-abasement refers to the act of putting oneself down or belittling oneself, often through excessive humility, guilt, or self-criticism.
It’s when a person lowers their own self-worth, often publicly or emotionally, sometimes to gain approval or out of shame.
Examples:
- "His constant self-abasement made others uncomfortable."
- "She apologized with such self-abasement that it felt more like self-punishment than remorse."
- "In moments of failure, he slipped into self-abasement instead of learning from his mistakes."
(He was always criticizing or demeaning himself in front of others.)
(Her apology was overly harsh on herself.)
(He responded to setbacks by putting himself down rather than growing from the experience.)
🧠 Bonus Tip:
"Self-abasement" is closely tied to words like:
- Self-deprecation (making fun of yourself, often humorously)
- Humility (being modest, but in a healthy, balanced way)
- Shame or guilt (emotional triggers that can lead to self-abasement)
But while humility can be virtuous, self-abasement often goes too far, it can reflect low self-esteem or be used manipulatively to gain sympathy.