inferiority complex

[in-feer-ee-awr-i-tee kom-pleks, -or-]

noun

Psychology.

1. an intense feeling of inferiority or inadequacy; low self-esteem, sometimes characterized by compensatory behaviors intended to bolster self-confidence.

inferiority complex

noun

1. psychiatry a disorder arising from the conflict between the desire to be noticed and the fear of being humiliated, characterized by aggressiveness or withdrawal into oneself

Word History and Origins

Origin of inferiority complex¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

"There was no inferiority complex from Grimsby, far from it. If anything it was the other way around."

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He blames a lack of self confidence, telling the BBC: "The current ANC has a big inferiority complex and they are dependent on big business and the DA."

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But more importantly, he's changed the perception around a team that had always been known for an inferiority complex that held them back in the past.

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He denied that his crimes against his wife had been sparked by an inferiority complex or by a desire for revenge for an affair she had in the 1980s.

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While reigning champions Canada rank second in the world, there is no reason for Britain to have an inferiority complex.

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