as in self-realization
formal
the process of fully developing and using your abilities
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Recent Examples of self-actualization
Stephanie Ahn 1 hour 59 minutes Bedford Park, Stephanie Ahn’s poignant directorial debut, follows Audrey on her path toward something like self-actualization, sparked by a chance encounter with a similarly lonely soul.
—
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-actualization
- self-realization
- self-fulfillment
- self-discovery
- self-exploration
- introspection
- self-awareness
- self-reflection
Noun
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Leaving, at the time, was seen as a temporary sacrifice, something connected to work and supporting a family, not to self-realization.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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Taking the main character’s famous journey of self-realization every night.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
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But this is a Norman Lear comedy after all (his last before passing in late 2023) — so by the end of the first episode, the hilarious sitcom has revealed its true interest in acceptance, forgiveness, and self-fulfillment.—
Michael Cuby,
Them.,
17 Nov. 2025
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And increasingly, women are choosing solitude and self-fulfillment over unsatisfying relationships.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Readers get an immersive experience into the world of teenagers on their own journeys of exploration and self-discovery among the woods of the rural South.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
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At the same time, Neptune, your celestial ruler, enters Aries, shifting your focus from self-discovery to self-worth.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That sets Charli off on a bit of self-exploration and a reunion with her childhood friend Nel (Lena Góra).—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
11 Feb. 2026
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Its red rock buttes are said to house mysterious cosmic forces conducive to healing and self-exploration.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Philosophy is a practice of wonder and logic; curiosity and introspection; dialectic and meditation; criticism and advocacy.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
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Like its predecessors, the album incorporates Ant’s sticky signature beats on production and Daley’s clever rhymes, leading listeners through a world full of literary devices that drive introspection and sometimes the everyday insecurity of existence.—
Charlie Vargas,
Daily News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Robbie, who proved her deadpan comedic acting chops in Barbie, is a joy as the flighty, vain, fast-talking Cathy, totally lacking in self-awareness.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
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Leaders with high emotional intelligence possess strong levels of self-awareness and can recognize, understand and regulate their own emotions.—
Paul Vanderbroeck,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This short is uniquely brilliant in its ability to balance laugh-out-loud levity with the emotional pain of honest self-reflection.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
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And, for that matter, that Rahman has undergone the necessary self-reflection and growth during his years in the political wilderness to truly become a leader for his people.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-actualization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-actualization. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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