plural self-criticisms
: the act of or capacity for criticizing one's own faults or shortcomings
To impress friends and potential employers, avoid complimenting yourself and trying to disguise it as self-criticism.Shana Lebowitz
… he's learned discipline, beneficial self-criticism … and the ability to develop a regimen in his day-to-day life.Hillary Gavan

Examples of self-criticism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
His point wasn’t self-criticism for show. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026 Bergman says this can be a powerful antidote to self-criticism. Melissa Willets, Parents, 9 June 2026 Paulina Porizkova, 61, is no stranger to self-criticism. Staff Author, InStyle, 18 June 2026 In practice, that means focusing on what happened and what needs to be repaired, rather than collapsing into self-criticism. Marybeth Gasman, Forbes.com, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-criticism

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-criticism was in 1780

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Cite this Entry

“Self-criticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-criticism. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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