self-doubt

noun

plural self-doubts
: a lack of faith in oneself : a feeling of doubt or uncertainty about one's abilities, actions, etc.
plagued with/by self-doubt
overcame her self-doubts
The man who comes through the pages of this straightforwardly written autobiography is eminently human, full of self-doubt about his personal life and his career …Walter Goodman

Examples of self-doubt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The moon’s clash with Mars sets the stage for a self-doubt spiral. USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 For example, materialism is associated with negative self-appraisal including self-doubt, as well as risky health behaviors such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Talia Varley, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Gyllenhaal, with his perfect coif and his stoic smirk, is like Anthony Perkins stripped of self-doubt. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 The job took 32 months: The launch of the Discovery on a four-day mission in late September 1988 lifted a long period of gloom and self-doubt for the agency. Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Through his tears, Jason shared how his father helped him through those moments of self-doubt, or when his confidence lagged. Shannon Carpenter, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 With these emotions, our saboteurs perpetuate a cycle of self-doubt and anxiety, hindering our ability to thrive. Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 This—the self-doubt, the reluctance to be direct—is my first clue that something is not right. Anna Holmes, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 This Aang certainly has moments like that (Gordon Cormier has an infectious, movie star smile), but the new series is more interested in his self-doubt than his silliness. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-doubt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-doubt was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near self-doubt

Cite this Entry

“Self-doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-doubt. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-doubt

noun
ˈself-ˈdau̇t
: a lack of faith in oneself
self-doubting
-iŋ
adjective

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