self-examination
Americannoun
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examination into one's own state, conduct, motives, etc.
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Medicine/Medical. examination of one's body for signs of illness or disease.
breast self-examination.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-examination
First recorded in 1640–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Also gut never does a full audit—you need your brain for that, for reflection and self-examination on how or where you went wrong, to help you next time.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
At once a tribute to the bygone movie palaces of his hometown of Recife, and an introspective self-examination focused on his relationship with film, this evocative documentary is a must-see for all cinephiles.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2024
On Dec. 20, The Times published a massive self-examination that broke down what went wrong.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2024
Within that self-examination resides a broader parable about the belief’s power in fueling hope, that essential ingredient of survival.
From Salon • Sep. 29, 2024
In a day like this, when hearing and thinking, without doing, is so common, no one can justly wonder that I press upon men the absolute need of self-examination.
From Practical Religion Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians by Ryle, John Charles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
