impostor syndrome

noun

variants or imposter syndrome
: a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one's abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one's ongoing success
Plucked from semi-obscurity to replace Ann Landers, who died in 2002, Amy Dickinson suffered bouts of imposter syndrome: Who was she to give advice to the millions who read Landers' syndicated column?Kim Hubbard
Former US first lady Michelle Obama on Thursday urged girls to resist the "impostor syndrome" she had felt on the way up and fight men for power, saying plenty of them didn't deserve it.Lih Yi Beh

Examples of impostor syndrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Without formal design training, though, the road to that fan-favorite status was marked by a few bruising moments of impostor syndrome. Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 26 Nov. 2024 Connect with a Peer Leadership can feel lonely, exacerbating phenomena like impostor syndrome, which stems from self-doubt and fear of failure. Tarun Galagali, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024 New opportunities can open the door to fresh versions of impostor syndrome, and being a fast learner doesn’t magically change you into someone who doesn’t prefer to feel prepared. Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2024 With that came a lot of impostor syndrome and a massive confidence crisis. Harriet Blair Rowan, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for impostor syndrome 

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impostor syndrome was in 1982

Dictionary Entries Near impostor syndrome

Cite this Entry

“Impostor syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impostor%20syndrome. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

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