identity crisis

noun

1

: personal psychosocial conflict especially in adolescence that involves confusion about one's social role and often a sense of loss of continuity to one's personality

2

: a state of confusion in an entity, institution, or organization regarding its nature or direction

England is the last place on earth one would expect to find a national identity crisis, yet … the English are now asking, "What is my nation?"

—Wilson Quarterly

Examples of identity crisis in a Sentence

He is suffering from an identity crisis.

Recent Examples on the Web

But in the years approaching COVID, the theater began to suffer from an identity crisis. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

Nearly four years after Hadick joined, the crypto venture sector is stuck in another identity crisis, with deals falling and funds struggling to convince backers to refill their coffers. —Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026

At some point, the Post’s business side will have to return home to challenge those, but its roving identity crisis has come at an enormous cost. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 7 Feb. 2026

So this isn’t an identity crisis but a logical evolution, one that doesn’t abandon what the Royals have long stressed but seeks to fortify it. —Kansas City Star, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for identity crisis

• ecdysis
• haemoptysis
• hemoptysis
• lysis
• phthisis

Medical Definition

identity crisis

noun

: personal psychosocial conflict especially in adolescence that involves confusion about one's social role and often a sense of loss of continuity to one's personality