identity crisis

noun

Definition of identity crisis

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 institution or organization regarding its nature or direction

Examples of identity crisis in a Sentence

He is suffering from an identity crisis.

Recent Examples on the Web

Increasingly, soccer is a playing field for America’s identity crisis, and not just on the big stage. — Will Bunch, Philly.com, "World Cup with no U.S. is a metaphor for what's wrong in America right now | Will Bunch," 12 June 2018 But Tim Hortons also is confronting an identity crisis at home. — Jaewon Kang And Dawn Lim, WSJ, "Tim Hortons Tests China’s Appetite for Canadian Coffee," 11 July 2018 Enrique took over Barcelona in the summer of 2014 during a similar, if not quite so stark identity crisis. — SI.com, "How Luis Enrique Must Force Quick Transition to Stop Spain Returning to the Mediocre Years," 10 July 2018 Bloomberg reporters delve into the U.K. ruling party’s identity crisis. — Caroline Alexander, Bloomberg.com, "A Retirement, a Failed Coup and a Taboo: Weekend Reads," 30 June 2018 This comes as the Presbyterians, like other mainline protestants churches, have faced rapidly declining memberships and an identity crisis that has allowed the more radical elements within the church to hijack the movement, observers say. — Sean Savage, Jewish Journal, "Presbyterian Church continues trend of targeting Israel at its General Assembly," 26 June 2018 The two speak fewer than once per month now, according to people close to both of them, and Obama has not actively monitored the group’s reform efforts after 2016’s bruising primary fight, which has turned into an identity crisis for the party. — Gabriel Debenedetti, Daily Intelligencer, "Where Is Barack Obama?," 24 June 2018 There won’t be a defensive identity crisis again this year. — Andy Benoit, SI.com, "Jon Gruden Is Back, With a Big Rebuilding Job: 10 Thoughts on the Raiders," 18 June 2018 But at times, the show seemed to suffer from an identity crisis. — Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle, "Justin Timberlake pushes against the pop flash on Man of the Woods Tour," 24 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'identity crisis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

18 Sep 2018

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The first known use of identity crisis was in 1941

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More Definitions for identity crisis

identity crisis

noun

English Language Learners Definition of identity crisis

: a feeling of unhappiness and confusion caused by not being sure about what type of person you really are or what the true purpose of your life is

See the full definition for identity crisis in the English Language Learners Dictionary

identity crisis

noun

Medical Definition of identity crisis

: 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