as in introspection
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
not one for self-scrutiny, the president was known for never looking back or second-guessing himself
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Recent Examples of self-scrutiny
And the strategies our minds reach for in moments of doubt—retreat, control, relentless self-scrutiny—can work powerfully against us at the moments that matter most.
—
Karyn Gallant,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
People committed to covenant cannot lose the capacity for moral self-scrutiny.
—
Rabbi Josh Weinberg,
Sun Sentinel,
2 June 2026
That may be too much heightened self-scrutiny.
—
Bryan Price,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Few other nations are as prone to self-scrutiny and self-criticism, or as engaged in impassioned discourse on the nature of liberty and democracy without fear of governmental repression.
—
Kenneth Lasson,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Jan. 2025
Above all, Raisman is working on breaking free from a vicious cycle of self-scrutiny.
—
Katie Camero,
USA TODAY,
29 Feb. 2024
Since my teens, a tendency to spiral into a tornado of self-scrutiny and expecting the absolute worst to happen have been toxic friends of mine.
—
Emma Firth,
Vogue,
14 Nov. 2023
Karyn Gallant,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
People committed to covenant cannot lose the capacity for moral self-scrutiny.
—
Rabbi Josh Weinberg,
Sun Sentinel,
2 June 2026
That may be too much heightened self-scrutiny.
—
Bryan Price,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Few other nations are as prone to self-scrutiny and self-criticism, or as engaged in impassioned discourse on the nature of liberty and democracy without fear of governmental repression.
—
Kenneth Lasson,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Jan. 2025
Above all, Raisman is working on breaking free from a vicious cycle of self-scrutiny.
—
Katie Camero,
USA TODAY,
29 Feb. 2024
Since my teens, a tendency to spiral into a tornado of self-scrutiny and expecting the absolute worst to happen have been toxic friends of mine.
—
Emma Firth,
Vogue,
14 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-scrutiny
- introspection
- self-examination
- soul-searching
- self-reflection
- self-observation
- self-questioning
- contemplation
- self-searching
Noun
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That’s why introspection and self-knowledge are at the core of every spiritual and philosophical tradition—the drive not just to know the world but to know ourselves, with each layer of self-knowledge unlocking a deeper one.
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Your desire for solitude and introspection is strong during today’s Scorpio moon.
Noun
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When creating the novel, Akil was inspired by the collective interest in self-examination and the interior self.
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In fact, much of our technology is designed to distract us from, or worse, replace this loop of self-examination and improvement.
Noun
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The group’s musical soul-searching is what gets most attention in the ReLoad box set.
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Carmy vowed to get the restaurant out of debt before savoring some soul-searching and crafting a new recipe for success.
Noun
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Andy Sachs exemplifies an adaptive optimist, challenging norms and fostering open environments through self-reflection and curiosity.
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That friction is an opportunity for self-reflection.
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.
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There are three invitations leaders can offer their direct reports: Play with the technology as a tool for self-observation.
Noun
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This majestic sequence delivers a lifetime’s outpouring of love’s inadequacies and frustrations, of grief and regret, of gratitude along with candid acceptance of loss, and of self-questioning that never shakes the foundations of the family—her ferocious commitment to the children.
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After long periods of grief, reflection and painful self-questioning, most of the families interviewed by The Charlotte Observer no longer seem interested in reducing their children’s deaths to any one thing.
Noun
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Trish and Dan Bell Chapel The Trish and Dan Bell Chapel will serve as a gathering place for worship, contemplation and spiritual strengthening at FIU.
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Many crude laughs were bolstered by the attached contemplation.
Noun
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While there’s still some of the angst and self-searching of Girls, Too Much is classic odd-couple romcom.
Cite this Entry
“Self-scrutiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-scrutiny. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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