identity crisis
Americannoun
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a period or episode of psychological distress, often occurring in adolescence but sometimes in adulthood, when a person seeks a clearer sense of self and an acceptable role in society.
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confusion as to goals and priorities.
The company is undergoing an identity crisis.
Etymology
Origin of identity crisis
First recorded in 1950–55
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.
The challenges reflect the culmination of a long-standing identity crisis inside Google: whether to prioritize mass-market commercial products, or build tools for scientific research.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
While journalist Wangũi acknowledges it may not always be easy to have a female surname and it brings with it a certain "identity crisis", he is proud of his decision.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
According to Rebecca Nagle, a citizen of Cherokee Nation, a writer and journalist, and the host of the new podcast First America, the Founding Fathers initially faced an identity crisis.
From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2026
The criticism reflects an identity crisis inside a movement built around resistance to Washington by Chávez, who died from cancer in 2013.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
Spring has decided to go through an identity crisis and get chilly on me.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
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.
