introspection

noun

ˌin-trə-ˈspek-shən How to pronounce introspection (audio)
Definition of introspectionnext
as in soul-searching
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings not a man given to introspection, he grew impatient with his wife's constant need to discuss their relationship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of introspection Your desire for solitude and introspection is strong during today’s Scorpio moon. — Usa Today, USA Today, 24 June 2026 His own family tree was a source of introspection. — Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 24 June 2026 How to turn a puzzle into an introspection that was magical. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2026 The moment caused a lot of heartbreak, but also introspection. — Jessica Tzikas, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for introspection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for introspection
  1. soul-searching
  2. self-reflection
  3. self-examination
  4. contemplation
  5. self-observation
  6. self-scrutiny
  7. self-questioning
Noun
  • But defeat left Koeman looking powerless and the Netherlands in need of new energy and new ideas as thoughts turn to the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign and an increasingly familiar period of soul-searching for Dutch football.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • The group’s musical soul-searching is what gets most attention in the ReLoad box set.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2026
Definition of soul-searching
Noun
  • McKinney emphasizes that true global leadership requires understanding how culture shapes decisions, self-reflection, and actively leveraging differences as a strategic asset.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Just as the young woman is set to return to her hometown following the end of her postgraduate studies, a girl’s body is discovered there, unravelling painful memories of past trauma and sending Sofia through a pained process of self-reflection.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 9 July 2026
Definition of self-reflection
Noun
  • When creating the novel, Akil was inspired by the collective interest in self-examination and the interior self.
    — Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • In fact, much of our technology is designed to distract us from, or worse, replace this loop of self-examination and improvement.
    — Arianna Huffington, Time, 29 June 2026
Definition of self-examination
Noun
  • Trish and Dan Bell Chapel The Trish and Dan Bell Chapel will serve as a gathering place for worship, contemplation and spiritual strengthening at FIU.
    — Florida International University, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
  • Many crude laughs were bolstered by the attached contemplation.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 June 2026
Definition of contemplation
Noun
  • The purpose of this exercise is not to match your paradigm perfectly but to give you a thematic lens for self-observation.
    — Liz Tran, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
  • There are three invitations leaders can offer their direct reports: Play with the technology as a tool for self-observation.
    — Michael Hudson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Definition of self-observation
Noun
  • And the strategies our minds reach for in moments of doubt—retreat, control, relentless self-scrutiny—can work powerfully against us at the moments that matter most.
    — Karyn Gallant, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • People committed to covenant cannot lose the capacity for moral self-scrutiny.
    — Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Sun Sentinel, 2 June 2026
Definition of self-scrutiny
Noun
  • This majestic sequence delivers a lifetime’s outpouring of love’s inadequacies and frustrations, of grief and regret, of gratitude along with candid acceptance of loss, and of self-questioning that never shakes the foundations of the family—her ferocious commitment to the children.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
  • After long periods of grief, reflection and painful self-questioning, most of the families interviewed by The Charlotte Observer no longer seem interested in reducing their children’s deaths to any one thing.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2026
Definition of self-questioning

Browse Nearby Words

intros
introspection
introspections
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Cite this Entry

“Introspection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/introspection. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on introspection

Nglish: Translation of introspection for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about introspection

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