introspection

American  

[in-truh-spek-shuhn] / ˌɪn trəˈspɛk ʃən /

noun

1. observation or examination of one's own mental and emotional state, mental processes, etc.; the act of looking within oneself.

   Synonyms:

   soul-searching, self-examination

2. the tendency or disposition to do this.

3. sympathetic introspection.

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introspection British  

/ ˌɪntrəˈspɛkʃən /

noun

1. the examination of one's own thoughts, impressions, and feelings, esp for long periods

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Other Word Forms

• introspectional adjective
• introspectionist noun
• introspectively adverb
• introspectiveness noun

Etymology

Origin of introspection

First recorded in 1670–80; from Latin intrōspect(us) “looked within” (past participle of intrōspicere “to look within,” from intrō- intro- + -spicere, combining form of specere “to see, observe, look”) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

“It’s a little bit complicated when they put an image in your head and now you’re stuck with it,” he sings in “Paint by Numbers,” which pretty handily demonstrates how lightweight the introspection is here.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

For all his introspection, Dunk wrongfully justifies his own survival as a transaction — a king-to-be traded for a commoner.

From Salon • Feb. 25, 2026

Raducanu has just suffered one of the most demoralising Grand Slam defeats of her career, mitigated by an off-season beset by a foot injury, with seemingly more introspection about where she is heading.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Ms. Smith, by contrast, was less about shock and volume and more concerned with merging introspection, darkness and poetry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

In any case, Ernest Lawrence, a man normally not given to introspection in the Oppenheimer style, struggled to set down his emotions on paper.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• contemplation
• meditation
• reflection
• scrutiny
• self-examination
• soul-searching