as in introspection
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
after much soul-searching, they both realized that their marriage was essentially over
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Recent Examples of soul-searching
The scale of the Republican Party's triumph in November—taking the White House, flipping the Senate, and maintaining control of the House—has sparked soul-searching within the Democratic Party over what went wrong and how to rebuild.
—
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Democrat Kamala Harris’ November loss to Republican Donald Trump has left the party rudderless and sparked a round of soul-searching about the path forward.
—James Oliphant, USA Today, 19 June 2025
Democrats went through similar soul-searching after presidential losses in 1984 and 1988.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
The scale of the Republican Party's triumph in November—taking the White House, flipping the Senate, and maintaining control of the House—has sparked widespread soul-searching within the Democratic Party over what went wrong and how to rebuild.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for soul-searching
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Democrat Kamala Harris’ November loss to Republican Donald Trump has left the party rudderless and sparked a round of soul-searching about the path forward.
—James Oliphant, USA Today, 19 June 2025
Democrats went through similar soul-searching after presidential losses in 1984 and 1988.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
The scale of the Republican Party's triumph in November—taking the White House, flipping the Senate, and maintaining control of the House—has sparked widespread soul-searching within the Democratic Party over what went wrong and how to rebuild.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for soul-searching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soul-searching
Noun
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Navigating the Shift Towards Conscious Leadership Go on the journey of introspection to build deep levels of self-awareness and accountability.—
Heather V. MacArthur,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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Whatever its shortcomings, The Old Guard 2 is a better-than-average original streaming feature — well acted by a highly capable cast, peppered with enough action to satisfy most appetites, and underscored with a melancholy vein of introspection about the conflicted roles of superheroes.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Constellation should use this black eye as an opportunity for brutally honest self-examination.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2025
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This self-examination seems glib (whereas del Toro was actually more affecting as the desperate artist in The French Dispatch).—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 May 2025
Noun
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July will be a whirlwind of change and self-reflection for you, Aries.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
8 July 2025
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The film follows Li, a screenwriter played by Shim, who embarks on a journey of self-reflection following a chance meeting with Benzo.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
8 July 2025
Noun
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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
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One of many things the culture lost with Lennon’s death was his rare example as a burgeoning and often self-searching male feminist, serving as a role model for men looking to take account of their behavior.—
Jon Pareles,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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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
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Above all, Raisman is working on breaking free from a vicious cycle of self-scrutiny.—
Katie Camero,
USA TODAY,
29 Feb. 2024
Noun
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Too much isolation can lead someone askew—ask the Unabomber—but this kind of solitary contemplation offers a retreat from social pressures.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
24 June 2025
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Designed by Frida Escobedo, the plaza features seating and a reflecting pool with a fog effect, and doubles as both a gathering spot and place of serene contemplation within the enclave.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Soul-searching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soul-searching. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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