self-abasement
Voluntary personal humiliation
Self-abasement is the act of degrading or humiliating oneself, typically through excessive self-criticism, submission, or denial of one's worth.
It may be genuine—arising from shame or low self-esteem—or performed strategically to gain sympathy or forestall criticism: His constant self-abasement made everyone uncomfortable.
Religious contexts sometimes frame self-abasement as virtuous humility before God.
Compensation for wrongdoing
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
confession · reparation · mortification · fasting · flagellation · sackcloth · absolution · redemption
Decline in condition
- mortificationIntense shame or embarrassment
- disgraceLoss of honor
- dishonorLoss of respect
- demeaningCausing loss of respect
belittlement · humbling · indignity · groveling · servility · prostration · demoralization · subjugation
Guilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- guilty conscienceSelf-blame for wrongdoing
- regretSorrow over past actions
- compunctionUneasiness from guilt
Gentle, unassertive disposition
- lowlinessState of modest rank
- submissivenessDisposition to obey others
- deferenceYielding to another's judgment
- modestyAbsence of vanity
unpretentiousness · docility · unassertiveness · acquiescence · obsequiousness · subservience · bashfulness · diffidence
atonement
Compensation for wrongdoing
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
contrition · confession · reparation · mortification · fasting · flagellation · sackcloth · absolution · redemption · sacrifice
degradation
Decline in condition
- mortificationIntense shame or embarrassment
- disgraceLoss of honor
- dishonorLoss of respect
demeaning · belittlement · humbling · indignity · groveling · servility · prostration · demoralization · subjugation · lowering
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- guilty conscienceSelf-blame for wrongdoing
- regretSorrow over past actions
compunction · sorrow · culpability · unworthiness · confession
meekness
Gentle, unassertive disposition
- lowlinessState of modest rank
- submissivenessDisposition to obey others
- deferenceYielding to another's judgment
modesty · unpretentiousness · docility · unassertiveness · acquiescence · obsequiousness · subservience · bashfulness · diffidence · timidity
- humilityhumbleness, humble, meekness, modesty, modest
- self-loathinginner critic, worthlessness, unworthiness, toxic shame, beating yourself up
- submissionsubmission hold, submitting, surrendering, capitulation, yielding
- submission gestureskowtow, genuflection, genuflect, genuflecting, prostration
self-abasementself-aggrandizement
Inflating one's own status
self-exaltation · self-glorification · arrogance · conceit · pride
self-abasementself-assertion
Insisting on recognition
boastfulness · braggadocio · self-promotion · boldness · assertiveness
self, selfless, debase, self-esteem, abase, abash, selfhood, debasement, abasement