introspection
Americannoun
-
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
-
the tendency or disposition to do this.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Explanation
Introspection means "to look inside," and describes the act of thinking about your own actions or inner thoughts. When you examine what you do, say, think or feel and how it affects your life and the lives of others, that's introspection. It's easy to piece together the meaning of the noun introspection. Consider that intro means "within," while spec is from the Latin for "look." So you can tell that the word means the act of "looking within." Introspection isn't "thinking about yourself" in the sense of calculating your own interests; it's more like searching inside in order to understand yourself — what some people mock as "navel gazing." Nineteenth-century philosopher William Godwin once said, “The philosophy of the wisest man that ever existed is mainly derived from the act of introspection.”
Vocabulary lists containing introspection
On Your Mark, Get Set, Commence Your Life!
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Psychology
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Rebecca
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Introspection is familiar to the actor, who co-hosts a podcast called “More Better” with fellow “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” alum Stephanie Beatriz.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025
Introspection and theorizing built upon first-person inspections affords vivid and moving accounts of the things experienced, referred to as qualia.
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
In 2016, he collaborated with hardware hacker Andrew “Bunnie” Huang on Introspection Engine, a phone case that monitors iPhone outputs, alerting you to when your device is sending signals through its antenna.
From The Verge • Dec. 23, 2017
Introspection is underway among Democrats following the election.
From Washington Times • Feb. 21, 2017
Introspection reveals no more interesting fact concerning our minds than that our thoughts move in a connected and orderly array and not in a hit-and-miss fashion.
From The Mind and Its Education by Betts, George Herbert
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
