as in introspection
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
not one for self-scrutiny, the president was known for never looking back or second-guessing himself
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Recent Examples of self-scrutiny
That may be too much heightened self-scrutiny.
—
Bryan Price, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
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
Few other nations are as prone to self-scrutiny and self-criticism, or as engaged in impassioned discourse on the nature of liberty and democracy without fear of governmental repression.
—Kenneth Lasson, Baltimore Sun, 1 Jan. 2025
Above all, Raisman is working on breaking free from a vicious cycle of self-scrutiny.
—Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024
Since my teens, a tendency to spiral into a tornado of self-scrutiny and expecting the absolute worst to happen have been toxic friends of mine.
—Emma Firth, Vogue, 14 Nov. 2023
Bryan Price, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
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
Few other nations are as prone to self-scrutiny and self-criticism, or as engaged in impassioned discourse on the nature of liberty and democracy without fear of governmental repression.
—Kenneth Lasson, Baltimore Sun, 1 Jan. 2025
Above all, Raisman is working on breaking free from a vicious cycle of self-scrutiny.
—Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024
Since my teens, a tendency to spiral into a tornado of self-scrutiny and expecting the absolute worst to happen have been toxic friends of mine.
—Emma Firth, Vogue, 14 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-scrutiny
- introspection
- self-examination
- soul-searching
- self-reflection
- self-observation
- self-questioning
- contemplation
- self-searching
Noun
-
Those struggles also led to introspection by everyone involved.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Disco, Occasionally, and eclectic project that goes heavy on the disco ball introspection.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yet her songs remain disarmingly human, meditating on desire, vulnerability, and self-examination.—
Marcus J. Moore,
Pitchfork,
5 Mar. 2026
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Islamabad is not yet willing to indulge in a bit of self-reflection.—
Mihir Sharma,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
-
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
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
Noun
-
With this news came a several-minute period of self-questioning.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
-
But users can instruct it to be tentative, hesitant, self-questioning or even deliberately clumsy.—
Chris Reed,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The paradox that the lush and peaceful surroundings also harbored the violent history of enslavement offered visiting artists further nuance for contemplation.—
Amy Paige Condon,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Somewhere in the next hour after the field is announced, there will be contemplation and whining about the specter of the NCAA growing its postseason field, most likely to 76 teams.—
Mac Engel
March 10,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While there’s still some of the angst and self-searching of Girls, Too Much is classic odd-couple romcom.—
James Medd,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 July 2025
-
But such athletic excess is part of what makes this album admirable, as is a sense of spiritual and intellectual hunger that’ll be quickly recognizable to anyone familiar with the Ziggy Stardust/Zen Arcade/Tommy school of self-searching rock epic.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-scrutiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-scrutiny. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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