identity crisis

American  

noun

1. 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.

2. 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

See Examples For:

identity crisis

A body of water that had managed for centuries without an identity crisis had become an A/B test: which lake you saw depended on where you stood and which corporation’s map you opened.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

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

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

So we really deliberately and really defiantly tried to embrace the identity crisis of the character in how we told the story.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

My grandmother's identity crisis is fascinating and frightening at the same time, like a slasher movie you can't stop watching.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins