as in self-exploration
the act or process of gaining knowledge or understanding of your abilities, character, and feelings
She was on a voyage of self-discovery.
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Recent Examples of self-discovery
Once used primarily for fortune-telling tarot has also evolved into a tool for other forms of mysticism such as storytelling, symbology, holistic reflection, spiritual exploration, and therapeutic self-discovery.
—
Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The spirit of Gnarls Barkley is always self-discovery.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2026
The film casts their lives as a testament to the power of science and paints discovery as the ultimate act of self-discovery.
—Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
Building on themes of self-discovery, Myat said her runway will feature models walking around, with one encased in a box made from sugar glass.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-discovery
Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The spirit of Gnarls Barkley is always self-discovery.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2026
The film casts their lives as a testament to the power of science and paints discovery as the ultimate act of self-discovery.
—Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
Building on themes of self-discovery, Myat said her runway will feature models walking around, with one encased in a box made from sugar glass.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-discovery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-discovery
- self-exploration
- self-realization
- self-actualization
- introspection
- meditation
- self-fulfillment
- soul-searching
- self-reflection
Noun
-
Younger people are interested in self-exploration, but on their terms.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
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That sets Charli off on a bit of self-exploration and a reunion with her childhood friend Nel (Lena Góra).—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Leaving, at the time, was seen as a temporary sacrifice, something connected to work and supporting a family, not to self-realization.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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Taking the main character’s famous journey of self-realization every night.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Gentle protagonists whose personal struggles with self-actualization end up activating the lives of others are, of course, familiar in the theater.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
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These stories reveal how movement, both literal and metaphorical, can propel the ongoing work of self-actualization.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Musk occasionally has moments of introspection in his many court battles.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
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In the first three stories, Lilian, as a bereaved mother, goes through life in an altered state, with encounters that increase her sense of introspection.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Studies have shown that meditation can help lower blood pressure, boost immunity, improve sleep, and slow memory loss.—
Kris Slugg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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And if you’re feeling compelled to listen to your own chants, white noises, meditations, etc.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But this is a Norman Lear comedy after all (his last before passing in late 2023) — so by the end of the first episode, the hilarious sitcom has revealed its true interest in acceptance, forgiveness, and self-fulfillment.—
Michael Cuby,
Them.,
17 Nov. 2025
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And increasingly, women are choosing solitude and self-fulfillment over unsatisfying relationships.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Throughout these years, Ma began to feel an increasing sense of remorse at his complicity in this system, which sparked deeper soul-searching around his identity as a Muslim, and what that meant within Chinese society.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
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And for all the soul-searching and probing, Conrad is well aware that kink can lead to comedy—up to a point.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Islamabad is not yet willing to indulge in a bit of self-reflection.—
Mihir Sharma,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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The album’s volley of astute re-creations of this idea sometimes gets in the way of Styles’s attempt to relay sadness or dour self-reflection.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-discovery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-discovery. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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