self-doubt

noun

ˌself-ˈdau̇t 

plural self-doubts

: a lack of faith in oneself : a feeling of doubt or uncertainty about one's abilities, actions, etc.

plagued with/by self-doubt

overcame her self-doubts

The man who comes through the pages of this straightforwardly written autobiography is eminently human, full of self-doubt about his personal life and his career …

—Walter Goodman

Examples of self-doubt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Drawing on memories of working-class Wales, old folk tunes and love for his wife, Stella, Hopkins crafts lush, unapologetically emotional pieces that grapple with self-doubt, aging and life’s long goodbyes. — Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Leaders are often bombarded with a constant stream of stress—from economic uncertainty and workplace pressure to information overload from TV or social media—which can leave them trapped in a cycle of anxiety and self-doubt. — Simone Lundquist, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

My own traumatic experiences taught me how shifty memory can be—how incomplete and vulnerable to self-doubt. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

And Alan Ruck is pitch perfect as Bueller’s best friend Cameron, a more typical Hughes character who’s wracked with anxiety and self-doubt, but still goes along for the ride. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-doubt

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

self-doubt

noun

ˈself-ˈdau̇t

: a lack of faith in oneself

self-doubting

-iŋ

adjective