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.
Songs begin in earnest confessions of self-doubt before spiraling into tales of polycule politics. Brendan Menapace, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024 With these insights, any leader can learn how to overcome self-doubt and step fully into their essential role. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 In other words, failure on an international scale Predicting that Joe Biden’s presidency would be a disaster on the world stage was a rare political forecast that did not cause me painful spasms of self-doubt. Noah Rothman, National Review, 4 Nov. 2024 Sully never questions the man’s heroism, but Sully himself does, and Hanks’s portrayal is one in which self-doubt eats away at the character — which, coupled with having just survived a horrifying ordeal, leaves him feeling discombobulated and adrift. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near self-doubt

Cite this Entry

“Self-doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-doubt. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-doubt

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

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