superego

su·per·ego | \ ˌsü-pər-ˈē-(ˌ)gō also -ˈe-(ˌ)gō

Definition of superego

: the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that is only partly conscious, represents internalization of parental conscience and the rules of society, and functions to reward and punish through a system of moral attitudes, conscience, and a sense of guilt — compare ego, id

Examples of superego in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Car buyer superegos have welcomed these improvements and choose safer models, all other things being equal. — Dan Albert, Vox, "Driverless cars are coming. We’ll miss the thrill of the ride.," 21 June 2019 But Freud assumed that healthy people operate under the restraint of the superego, which is shaped by social norms. — Paula Marantz Cohen, WSJ, "It’s the Era of Feelings, and Not Necessarily Good Ones," 4 May 2018 Snooki is perpetually and jubilantly tipsy, Ronnie is sour and reserved, and Vinny is the guido superego. — Jon Caramanica, New York Times, "On ‘Jersey Shore Family Vacation’ and ‘Trading Spaces,’ Reality TV Eats Itself," 4 Apr. 2018 Not that Lara never functioned as Bobby’s superego, no. — refinery29.com, "What This 3-Second Interaction Says About The Future Of Bobby Axelrod On Billions," 26 Mar. 2018 The superego is the intellectualized philosophy of the movement — the thinkers. — Ben Shapiro, National Review, "Steve Bannon Is Not Trump or Trumpism," 11 Sep. 2017 Spider-Man was the perfect expression of that adolescent angst of id versus superego. — Kareem Abdul-jabbar, The Hollywood Reporter, "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 3 Ways to Build a Better Black Superhero," 21 July 2017 But there is a classic Freudian map to this anecdote: Cursing is the anarchic and uncivilized id, while the superego (associated with the father) is represented by the cops, and the ideal of an earlier, more orderly New York. — Philip Kennicott, The Denver Post, "Why does the Trump “resistance” use such crude and profane language?," 24 May 2017 The curator was like the superego, burying ninety-nine per cent of thoughts in the dark. — Elif Batuman, The New Yorker, "Constructed Worlds," 23 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'superego.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Superego.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superego. Accessed 22 January 2020.

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superego

noun