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

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

The 13-track record tells the story of the life cycle of her first true adult relationship, exploring everything from the excitement of the honeymoon phase to the uncertainty, self-doubt and heartbreak that follows. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026

The mood has shifted, themes of career insecurity and self-doubt replaced with creativity and gratitude for success. — Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026

On May 23, 2011, the day after the tornado destroyed a third of the city, Scott Clayton was one of those leaders, standing on a hill on 22nd Street, disoriented and beset with self-doubt. — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 21 July 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