self-doubt

noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rachel McAdams is terrific as Margaret’s mom, balancing ambition and self-doubt, while Oscar-winner Kathy Bates steals the show (big surprise) as the fiercely loving grandmother. Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025 Founding member and rapper Ah Yoon described her initial feelings going into the shoot as filled with self-doubt. Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2025 Yet the debilitating anxiety, the brooding anger, the nagging sorrow, the lingering self-doubt: All there, lodged within his distinctive baritone, and the hisses, shouts, pleas and sighs comprising his deliveries. Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025 One swing does not cleanse a season that has raised Betts’ self-doubt. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-doubt

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-doubt was in 1847

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-doubt. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-doubt

noun
ˈself-ˈdau̇t
: a lack of faith in oneself
self-doubting
-iŋ
adjective

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