self-pity

American

[self-pit-ee, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈpɪt i, ˈsɛlf- /

noun

pity for oneself, especially a self-indulgent attitude concerning one's own difficulties, hardships, etc..

We must resist yielding to self-pity and carry on as best we can.

self-pity British

noun

the act or state of pitying oneself, esp in an exaggerated or self-indulgent manner

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

self-pitying adjective
self-pityingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of self-pity

First recorded in 1615–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Life is too precious and too short for self-pity, even under trying circumstances.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dane said he spent most of his life “wallowing and worrying in self-pity, shame and doubt.”

From Los Angeles Times

Her voice trailed off, the self-pity catching back up with her.

From Literature

And while he’s not one for self-pity, he acknowledges that the loss has been a brutal double whammy.

From Los Angeles Times

Worse, these anxieties, at times, are salted with moments of anger and self-pity.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023