soul-searching

noun

soul-search·​ing ˈsōl-ˌsər-chiŋ 

: examination of one's conscience especially with regard to motives and values

Synonyms

• introspection
• self-contemplation
• self-examination
• self-observation
• self-questioning
• self-reflection
• self-scrutiny
• self-searching

Examples of soul-searching in a Sentence

after much soul-searching, they both realized that their marriage was essentially over

Recent Examples on the Web

Democrats will have to do a lot of soul-searching to figure out how to recover. —G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2024

Voters across the country rejected what Vice President Harris and Democrats were selling on Tuesday, a development already triggering major soul-searching by the party. —Julia Mueller, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024

There will be soul-searching in the offseason for the Yankees. —Maury Brown, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

In Book of Travelers, which takes place earlier chronologically but is suggested as the second panel of the diptych, Kahane sets out on a soul-searching journey by train in the weeks after the 2016 election. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

soul-searching

noun

soul-search·​ing

ˈsōl-ˌsər-chiŋ

: examination of one's conscience and especially one's reasons and values