impostor syndrome

American  

[im-pos-ter sin-drohm] / ɪmˈpɒs tər ˌsɪn droʊm /

Or imposter syndrome

noun

Psychology.

1. anxiety or self-doubt that results from persistently undervaluing one’s competence and active role in achieving success, while falsely attributing one's accomplishments to luck or other external forces.

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Usage

What is impostor syndrome? Impostor syndrome is a psychological pattern of self-doubt in the face of evidence to the contrary—like that voice in your head that tells you you're not good enough. The phrase and concept is especially used in reference to women and members of minority groups who feel they've achieved undue or undeserving success in the workplace.

Etymology

Origin of impostor syndrome

Coined in 1978 by Pauline Rose Clance (born 1938) and Suzanne Imes (born 1944), U.S. psychologists, in a psychology journal article “The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

impostor syndrome

There was a requisite culture shock, missing friends and family, and impostor syndrome.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

“I have impostor syndrome getting out of bed, just doing my own life,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Among the takeaways from columnist Callum Borchers’s conversations with women who make at least $775,000 a year: Thick skin is overrated and impostor syndrome isn’t always bad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026

Full-blown impostor syndrome can be crippling, and we miss opportunities to grow if we see every criticism as an affront.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

Cirkut: Do we all have some sort of impostor syndrome?

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2025

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