self-doubt

noun

plural self-doubts
Synonyms of self-doubtnext
: 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.
But what is different about the downfall of Starmer, which is now under way, has been the timidity of his premiership, its chronic self-doubt, as if its voice were permanently stuck in its throat. Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 Your self-doubt is a distortion. Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, Fortune, 13 May 2026 To do so often comes with a lot of criticism, questions and even some self-doubt. Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026 His hot stretches were overshadowed in his mind by some struggles late in the spring, creating a stretch of self-doubt. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-doubt. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

self-doubt

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

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