superego

noun

su·per·ego ˌsü-pər-ˈē-(ˌ)gō

also

: 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 Understanding the Superego Around the age of six, Freud theorized that a person’s superego began to form. —

Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2023 Literature stands as the emblem of reason, as the superego defending against the subversive power of the nightmarish free associations that gave us conspiracies like Pizzagate—perhaps the most extraordinary public instance of the logic of dreams in modern history. —

Michael W. Clune, Harper's Magazine, 4 Mar. 2022 Freud introduced the idea of the superego in the 1920s to describe how one part of our personality judges other parts. —

Michael S. Roth, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023 Fox will get worse because Fox is the unchained id of the American right, and there exists no superego (the self-critical conscience) on the right to check it. —

Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 25 Apr. 2023 The superego is often linked to father figures. —

Andrew Hartz, WSJ, 7 Aug. 2022 The superego isn’t always ethical. —

Andrew Hartz, WSJ, 7 Aug. 2022 Whether you’re drawn to familial machinations, high-society satire, or the glamorously incisive look at wealth and power, here are 11 books to satiate your irrepressible id, challenge your superego, and add even greater depth and appreciation for some of the best writing on TV. —

Gina Chen, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2021 Addington wants to satisfy the demands not of an ever-hungry superego but simply of common decency: to do his duty as husband and father, but at a time when the demands of duty can be met only at the cost of his integrity. —

Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'superego.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.