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

The Dems have their own problems, including an identity crisis and a shortage of bankable presidential prospects. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

But over the past ten or so years, RHOC has struggled to evolve, resulting in an ongoing identity crisis. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026

This dilemma is causing one hell of an identity crisis for our hero, thus throwing everything in his inner world out of whack. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026

As Democrats face an identity crisis, Auchincloss’s politics offers one vision for the party’s path forward. — Nik Popli, Time, 30 Sep. 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