as in introspection
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
some self-observation might give you some insights into how others perceive you
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of self-observation
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
Anyone who has tracked their daily steps or worn a glucose monitor can testify that self-observation works.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
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
Anyone who has tracked their daily steps or worn a glucose monitor can testify that self-observation works.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-observation
- introspection
- self-reflection
- self-examination
- soul-searching
- self-scrutiny
- contemplation
- self-contemplation
- self-questioning
Noun
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Embarrassment over a vulgar and inept political class seems unlikely to open out into severe introspection among the United States’ intellectual and cultural elites, who are primed to regurgitate the narratives of American exceptionalism.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
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The series achieves more introspection than the average sports documentary, and will feel revelatory to anyone who hasn’t followed the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career in detail.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Soka Gakkai members gather to study Buddhist principles, like practicing nonviolence and taking social action, and their practice consists of prayers, chanting and self-reflection in nature to achieve spiritual growth.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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Opportunities for self-reflection abound across the summer calendar.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Macy’s was notorious in its industry for how siloed its teams and culture were, characteristics that impeded prior turnaround efforts until Spring, CEO since 2024, instilled a culture of self-examination and an ability to admit mistakes before quickly moving on.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
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Esalen framed this and similar efforts not just as political education but as deeply transformative experiences requiring self-examination and accountability.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My advice is to do this soul-searching first, then dive into as much relevant data as possible.—
Angelo Chavez,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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While three games hardly make a season, there seems to be some soul-searching needed in Dallas.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
Noun
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That may be too much heightened self-scrutiny.—
Bryan Price,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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In a foundational study, it was found that companies professing a strong belief in meritocracy were more likely to reward men over equally performing women because the belief in objectivity ironically reduces self-scrutiny in decisions, giving managers subconscious permission to act on stereotypes.—
Heather Price,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Noun
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Those could be be relationships, creative endeavors and the contemplation of big questions about life.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Following several years of contemplation and asceticism, Dorje hopes to return to the United States to teach in Minnesota's Buddhist community at the Nyingmapa Taksham Buddhist Center.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Noun
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After the eclipse wraps, the Sun doubles down on the compulsion toward self-contemplation in partnership with Lilith.—
Jennifer Culp,
Them,
27 Sep. 2024
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Missing from the fair but important nonetheless is Hsiao Chin, the first and only post-war Chinese artist to convey Eastern philosophical ideas and the concepts of mindfulness and self-contemplation in the Western pictorial language of abstraction.—
Florence Tsai,
Forbes,
26 Mar. 2023
Noun
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And yet, in the scene on the Hill of Love, Lapid offers no self-questioning, no sense of cinematic exertion or trouble, in the fictional framing of the real agonies of Gaza.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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But users can instruct it to be tentative, hesitant, self-questioning or even deliberately clumsy.—
Chris Reed,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-observation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-observation. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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