ego-dystonic

American

[ee-goh-dis-ton-ik, eg-oh-] / ˈi goʊ dɪsˈtɒn ɪk, ˈɛg oʊ- /

adjective

Psychiatry.

of or relating to aspects of one's behavior or attitudes viewed as inconsistent with one's fundamental beliefs and personality (contrasted with ego-syntonic).

Compare meaning

How does ego-dystonic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

ego-syntonic vs. ego-dystonic

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.

But these thoughts are known as ego-dystonic, which means they are in direct conflict with that person's beliefs and moral compass.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

The 1980 DSM III replaced SOD with "ego-dystonic homosexuality," but the basic principle remained the same: Happy homosexuals did not have a mental disorder, while unhappy ones did.

From Slate • Mar. 8, 2013

Anxiety disorders such as phobias are generally referred to as ego-dystonic illnesses: the sufferer acknowledges the problem and wants to do something about it.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023