impostor syndrome
noun
variants
or imposter syndrome
: a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one's abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one's ongoing success
Plucked from semi-obscurity to replace Ann Landers, who died in 2002, Amy Dickinson suffered bouts of imposter syndrome: Who was she to give advice to the millions who read Landers' syndicated column?—
Kim Hubbard
Kim HubbardFormer US first lady Michelle Obama on Thursday urged girls to resist the "impostor syndrome" she had felt on the way up and fight men for power, saying plenty of them didn't deserve it.—Lih Yi Beh
Lih Yi BehExamples of impostor syndrome in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Brady: No offense, that sounds very female impostor syndrome.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 9 July 2025
Coaches and trainers who have high self-worth will find ways to develop their mindset to expand the business and help their people further, despite impostor syndrome.
—Doaa K. Darwish, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
That’s impostor syndrome, a psychological pattern in which individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a fraud, despite evidence of their competence.
—John Schneider, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Yet, even the Golden State Warriors star suffers from impostor syndrome.
—Jessica Golden,alex Sherman, CNBC, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for impostor syndrome
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Fortune Editors, Fortune, 9 July 2025
Coaches and trainers who have high self-worth will find ways to develop their mindset to expand the business and help their people further, despite impostor syndrome.
—Doaa K. Darwish, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
That’s impostor syndrome, a psychological pattern in which individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a fraud, despite evidence of their competence.
—John Schneider, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Yet, even the Golden State Warriors star suffers from impostor syndrome.
—Jessica Golden,alex Sherman, CNBC, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for impostor syndrome
Cite this Entry
“Impostor syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impostor%20syndrome. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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