Self-commiserating
Self-commiserating describes the act of expressing sympathy for oneself, often in an excessive or exaggerated manner, dwelling on one's own misfortunes or perceived inadequacies. It involves a tendency to feel sorry for oneself, to lament one's situation, and to seek validation or comfort by highlighting personal struggles. This behavior can manifest through verbal complaints, written expressions of woe, or even through body language and actions designed to elicit pity from others. While a degree of self-compassion is healthy, self-commiseration often veers into a pattern of negativity and self-pity, potentially hindering personal growth and fostering unhealthy social interactions. It can become a cycle where focusing on negativity reinforces feelings of inadequacy.
Self-commiserating meaning with examples
- After a minor setback in his presentation, John launched into a self-commiserating monologue about his supposed lack of talent and impending career failure, ignoring the helpful feedback he received. He found comfort in imagining himself the victim of circumstances.
- Mary's social media feed was filled with self-commiserating posts about her loneliness and difficulty finding a partner, even though she actively avoided social events and turned down invitations.
- The character in the novel spent hours engaged in self-commiserating thoughts, rehashing past failures and blaming external factors for his current unhappiness, unwilling to take responsibility.
- Following his failed attempt at baking a cake, Tim's self-commiserating sighs and dramatic gestures made everyone in the kitchen uncomfortable, as if he had suffered a grievous injury.
- The team's coach's constant self-commiserating about their low budget rather than focusing on strategy undermined team morale and prevented the team from getting to the playoffs.
