as in introspection
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
so consumed with self-questioning that he was virtually paralyzed by self-doubt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in self-reflective
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-questioning
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
But users can instruct it to be tentative, hesitant, self-questioning or even deliberately clumsy.
—Chris Reed, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
And yet, in the scene on the Hill of Love, Lapid offers no self-questioning, no sense of cinematic exertion or trouble, in the fictional framing of the real agonies of Gaza.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
But users can instruct it to be tentative, hesitant, self-questioning or even deliberately clumsy.
—Chris Reed, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-questioning
- introspection
- self-reflective
- soul-searching
- diffident
- self-reflection
- self-flagellating
- self-examination
- self-observation
Noun
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Some viewers took Sharon’s critique as tough love that prompted necessary introspection about why their natural texture is concealed and manipulated so often.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
14 May 2026
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The back half is comprised of less showy songs that fold midlife introspection into broader concerns.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Gray crafts a nuanced look at the chain of intergenerational expectations, at turns damning and self-reflective about how cultural self-preservation can conflict with the American justice system.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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These are Grace’s own watercolor paintings, self-reflective and complex, much like her latest EP, Heavy Hair.—
Lily Moayeri,
SPIN,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While three games hardly make a season, there seems to be some soul-searching needed in Dallas.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
-
The story attracted her first, a heartwarming narrative about an aquarium cleaner (Field) who looks after a giant Pacific octopus (voiced by Alfred Molina) and the young drifter (Lewis Pullman) who deepens both their lives while doing his own soul-searching.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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To strangers, Kay seemed demure, diffident, even shy, an impression her youthful appearance helped create.—
Charlotte Brooks,
Big Think,
13 Mar. 2026
-
This small, diffident moment is one more reason to mourn his death.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The importance of the self in American culture seems to have become even more pronounced since about the mid-20th century, when the communal—and sometimes conformist—spirit of the 1950s gave way to movements for individual rights and a cultural focus on self-reflection and self-help.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
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Speaks said therapy and self-reflection helped change his own life and inspired him to pursue psychology.—
Nicky Zizaza,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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At times, Carol’s admirable rebelliousness seems to come at the cost of self-flagellating destruction, a badge of honor to be miserable.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Esalen framed this and similar efforts not just as political education but as deeply transformative experiences requiring self-examination and accountability.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
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The shift from institutional blame to self-examination is where the film found its real subject.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The purpose of this exercise is not to match your paradigm perfectly but to give you a thematic lens for self-observation.—
Liz Tran,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
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There are three invitations leaders can offer their direct reports: Play with the technology as a tool for self-observation.—
Michael Hudson,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-questioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-questioning. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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