false modesty



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false modesty

A vain or hypocritical pretense of holding a low or humble opinion of oneself, one's abilities, or one's circumstance so as to encourage others to say the opposite. There's no need for that false modesty here; you are fully aware of your success and achievement, and you don't need me to reaffirm it for you. I find her false modesty quite unbecoming.
See also: false, modesty

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Annettaahn-NET-tahItalian
VreniFRE-neeGerman
Othelloo-THEL-o (English)Literature
Kyros-Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek
Deon-English, African American
CalebKAY-ləb (English)English, Biblical