self-doubt

noun

plural self-doubts
: a lack of faith in oneself : a feeling of doubt or uncertainty about one's abilities, actions, etc.
plagued with/by self-doubt
overcame her self-doubts
The man who comes through the pages of this straightforwardly written autobiography is eminently human, full of self-doubt about his personal life and his career …Walter Goodman

Examples of self-doubt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The story is halting, its end inevitable; it’s also couched in self-doubt, second-guessing, disbelief. Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025 Mitski does it too, singing desire and self-doubt like secrets passed from one insomniac to another. Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2025 Nevertheless, setting high standards for parenting, even unrealistic ones, can bring some benefits—as long as the parent is not weighed down by self-doubt and criticism, Sirois found in her analysis. Francine Russo, Scientific American, 24 June 2025 There’s something about his ability to be both hypersensitive and judgmental, ambitious and full of self-doubt, dark and laugh-out-loud funny that has influenced my writing and thinking. Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-doubt

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-doubt was in 1847

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Cite this Entry

“Self-doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-doubt. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-doubt

noun
ˈself-ˈdau̇t
: a lack of faith in oneself
self-doubting
-iŋ
adjective

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