Meanings
nounself-denial (countable and uncountable, plural self-denials)
plural self-denials
- countableuncountableAction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others.
Synonyms: self-abnegation, self-sacrifice
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses
Similar
Broader
nounrenunciation of your own interests in favor of the interests of others
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*swé?
- Proto-Indo-European*selbʰ-
- Proto-Germanic*selbaz
- Old Englishself
- Old Englishself-
- Middle Englishself-
- Englishself-
- Englishdenial
- Englishself-denial
Translations
Bulgarian самопоже́ртвование, себеотричание
- самопоже́ртвование (samopožértvovanie)action that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
- себеотричание (sebeotričanie)action that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Czech sebezapření
- sebezapřeníaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Dutch zelfverloochening
- zelfverloocheningaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
French abnégation
- abnégationaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
German Selbstverleugnung, Selbstverleugnung
- Selbstverleugnungaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
- Selbstverleugnungrefusal to recognize unpleasant realities
Greek αυταπάρνηση
- αυταπάρνηση (aftapárnisi)action that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Hindi आत्मत्याग
- आत्मत्याग (ātmatyāg)action that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Irish féindiúltú, staonadh
- féindiúltúaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
- staonadhaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Italian abnegazione
- abnegazioneaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Portuguese abnegação
- abnegaçãoaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Russian самопоже́ртвование, самоограниче́ние
- самопоже́ртвование (samopožértvovanije)action that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
- самоограниче́ние (samoograničénije)action that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
- самоотрече́ние (samootrečénije)refusal to recognize unpleasant realities
Scottish Gaelic féin-àicheadh
- féin-àicheadhaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Spanish abnegación
- abnegaciónaction that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others
Cite this entry
APA
self-denial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-denial
MLA
“self-denial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-denial. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “self-denial,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-denial.
Source: self-denial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.