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

Fortunately, the charisma of the show's stars – such as Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, and Dominic Purcell – work overtime to compensate for the noticeable shortcomings, keeping the viewers invested in what's on screen even as the series stumbles through an initial and very public identity crisis. —Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 21 Jan. 2026

The report, which covers 97% of post-secondary enrollment across the country, illustrates traditional universities’ ongoing identity crisis while students rethink the validity of a four-year degree. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026

Along with the inevitable post-Craig identity crisis, there’s been a corporate reshuffling, with the Broccolis handing over the series to Amazon, stretching the current Bond gap into its fifth year, inviting more rumormongering than usual. —Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026

And Superstars centers on an early-30s identity crisis set between French techno and rock scenes in the 90s. —Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 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