as in introspection
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
some self-observation might give you some insights into how others perceive you
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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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While there is nothing wrong with taking inspiration from fashion icons, finding your signature aesthetic requires a touch of introspection.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
9 Apr. 2026
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Have a sit on one of their benches and enjoy a moment of introspection and thinking.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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No one knows everything when getting into a relationship, but self-reflection and awareness have been beneficial.—
Christina Frazier,
Health,
1 Apr. 2026
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Season 2 has been one of introspection through loss and self-reflection that has helped both McKay and Dourif grow steadily alongside one another.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Yet her songs remain disarmingly human, meditating on desire, vulnerability, and self-examination.—
Marcus J. Moore,
Pitchfork,
5 Mar. 2026
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This 2-1 defeat is a blow and should prove a moment for self-examination for the club’s coaching staff and playing squad.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But thankfully, Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are spared any such soul-searching.—
Lindsey Bahr,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Artificial intelligence powerhouse Anthropic’s battle with the Pentagon has sparked some soul-searching in Silicon Valley that could reshape the tech sector’s complicated relationship with war and the White House.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 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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The North Carolina folk-rock band’s quiet and rambling third album exists in a cloud of dreamy contemplation.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
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July 23 – August 22 Money choices benefit from thoughtful contemplation.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 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 15 Apr. 2026.
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