self-effacing
self-ih-FAY-sing
/ˌself.ɪˈfeɪ.sɪŋ/
Tending to make oneself inconspicuous or to keep oneself in the background; extremely modest.
Implies deliberate intentionality in erasing or diminishing one's own presence so that others or the work itself receive focus.
The story behind the word. The compound word combines 'self' with 'efface', which literally means 'to rub out the face' or wipe off an inscription. To be self-effacing is metaphorically to wipe your own face out of the picture so that the focus remains on others.
Word relationships
- self-deprecating: Self-effacing focuses on staying out of the spotlight, whereas self-deprecating involves actively poking fun at oneself.
- diffident: Diffident stems from a lack of self-confidence, while self-effacing is often a conscious social courtesy or preference.
- self-aggrandizing: Self-aggrandizing means intentionally promoting oneself to appear powerful or important.
- self-promoting: Self-promoting actively seeks attention and publicity.
Commonly confused with
- self-effacing vs self-defeating: Self-effacing means keeping a low profile; self-defeating means causing one's own failure.
Word family
- self-effacement (noun): The act or practice of keeping oneself in the background.
Collocations
- self-effacing manner
- self-effacing humor
- self-effacing nature
- self-effacing charm
Example sentences
- "The director's self-effacing style allowed the raw talent of her young cast to take center stage." Editorial profile
- "His self-effacing remarks about his discoveries were viewed by contemporaries as proof of his genuine modesty." Academic essay
Memory hook
SELF-EFFACING = ERASE your own FACE from the spotlight. Efface the face to hide from praise.
When not to use
Avoid when describing physical erasure or destruction of non-human items.
Fun facts
- The base verb 'efface' was originally a stone-masonry term for polishing away a coat of arms or face carved on a building.
Related words
Explore more words
efface, retiring, selfless, diffident, unassertive, submissive
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