self-denying

adjective

self-de·​ny·​ing ˌself-di-ˈnī-iŋ How to pronounce self-denying (audio)
Synonyms of self-denyingnext
: showing self-denial
self-denyingly
ˌself-di-ˈnī-iŋ-lē How to pronounce self-denying (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of self-denying

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Examples of self-denying in a Sentence

found the self-denying life of the monks at the monastery unexpectedly appealing
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.
The tension between the self-denying demands of being a Kennedy wife and Carolyn’s assured self-determination sets the framework for this love story. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026 Like Congress passing campaign-finance regulation actually is like a pretty self-denying thing Congress has done. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026 Director Olivier Py’s production, staged here by director Daniel Izzo, takes the blacks, grays and whites of the nun’s habit and turns them into a visual metaphor for self-denying modesty. — Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2022 The thriving wineries of modern-day Australia would no doubt astonish those Lutheran pioneers, not to mention the self-denying John Muir — although they surely would be fascinated by how botany has been modernized and commercialized. — Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-denying was in 1630

Rhymes for self-denying

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Browse Nearby Words

self-denigration
self-denying
self-dependence
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Cite this Entry

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

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