self-understanding

noun

self-un·​der·​stand·​ing ˌself-ˌən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ 

plural self-understandings

: understanding of oneself: such as

a

: knowledge or understanding of one's own capabilities, character, feelings, or motivations : self-knowledge

human self-understanding

gaining a greater sense of self-understanding

… while I can't choose what I feel, I do have sway over how I understand my feelings and that self-understanding can modify and sculpt those feelings …

—Gordon Marino

b

: one's conception of oneself especially as part of a group

Central to our national self-understanding is the idea that hard work pays off.

—Las Vegas Sun

… the attempt to put religion into a box fails to give adequate regard to the self-understanding of those religious groups …

—Eduardo M. Penalver

… the studies … show that adoptive parents play an important role in supporting their children's ethnic and cultural self-understanding.

—Anndee Hochman

… people should be free to reach their own self-understandings when it comes their status as victims (or non-victims).

—Brian D. Earp

Examples of self-understanding in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many people who lack self-understanding are viewed by others as untrustworthy, which relates to them being unpredictable, impulsive, poor listeners who are unable to understand other people’s perspectives and can’t see how their actions and behaviors are experienced by others. —Margaret C. Andrews, Big Think, 16 Sep. 2025

The representatives of communication and self-understanding both love your big ol’ boss planet. —Jennifer Culp, Them, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-understanding

• misunderstanding
• banding
• branding
• handing
• landing
• sanding
• standing
• stranding
• commanding
• demanding
• disbanding
• expanding