inferiority complex

American  

[in-feer-ee-awr-i-tee kom-pleks, -or-] / ɪnˌfɪər iˈɔr ɪ ti ˌkɒm plɛks, -ˈɒr- /

noun

Psychology.

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

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inferiority complex British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of inferiority complex

First recorded in 1920–25

Compare meaning

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

• superiority complex vs. inferiority complex

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inferiority complex

Underlying all that is the fragile ego of a state whose outward brassiness is often a cover for an inferiority complex stoked by its glittering neighbor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

His remarks have sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many users criticising the Kenyan leader for showcasing a "deep inferiority complex rooted in colonial conditioning".

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026

“There’s so many people that have an inferiority complex about, ‘We’re the University of Houston.’

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 11, 2024

The show had unwittingly uncovered a national inferiority complex the Melbourne writer A.A.

From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2023

He was a simple man who had no inferiority complex about his lack of education and, even more amazing, no superiority complex because he had succeeded despite that lack.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou