Self-accusatory

Describing a person or their behavior that tends to blame themselves, often excessively, for their own actions or shortcomings, or for the misfortunes of others, even when such blame might be unwarranted or disproportionate to the situation. self-accusatory individuals frequently engage in introspection, dwelling on perceived faults and shortcomings, and expressing regret or remorse. This behavior can manifest verbally, through written accounts, or in non-verbal cues like body language, leading to feelings of guilt, shame, and lowered self-esteem. The root words, 'self' and 'accusatory,' highlight the internal nature of the blame, and the act of charging oneself with wrongdoing.

Self-accusatory meaning with examples

• After the project failed, Sarah's self-accusatory tone in the team meeting was palpable. She immediately took responsibility, despite the shared failures, citing her perceived lack of leadership as the primary cause. Her colleagues attempted to reassure her, but she continued to express regret, believing she should have anticipated and prevented all the issues that arose, demonstrating a profound sense of responsibility. Her self-accusations stifled any healthy postmortem analysis.
• John's self-accusatory letter to his family after his divorce was heartbreaking to read. He detailed all his perceived failures as a husband and father, accepting full blame for the separation. Even his therapist had gently pointed out that there were contributing factors from both sides of the relationship, that he was far from solely at fault. Nonetheless, his words revealed a deep-seated belief that he was the sole architect of the family's misfortune.
• The defendant's self-accusatory statement in court, wherein he confessed to minor infractions that were unrelated to the charges, was a surprising turn of events. The judge and the prosecution struggled with his evident need to bear more culpability than was pertinent to the case. His willingness to make that self-accusatory admission undermined his defense strategy and possibly his chance for leniency, as the judge may have found him unreliable.
• Her self-accusatory posture, with her slumped shoulders and averted gaze, made it clear how she viewed her performance. She blamed herself for every small error, ignoring all the positive feedback and achievements that were given to her by the manager and team members. It was impossible to build her confidence because she only wanted to reflect on what went wrong, with her posture mirroring her low self-esteem.