identity crisis
Americannoun
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a period or episode of psychological distress, often occurring in adolescence but sometimes in adulthood, when a person seeks a clearer sense of self and an acceptable role in society.
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confusion as to goals and priorities.
The company is undergoing an identity crisis.
Etymology
Origin of identity crisis
First recorded in 1950–55
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.
Recent trends pairing caviar with chicken nuggets and hot dogs had already created something of an identity crisis for the snooty food.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
A body of water that had managed for centuries without an identity crisis had become an A/B test: which lake you saw depended on where you stood and which corporation’s map you opened.
From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026
A beef-tallow-induced identity crisis: Earlier this year, Luke Winkie set out to crack the biggest culinary mystery in America: Why has this old-fashioned cooking ingredient become so polarizing?
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
The challenges reflect the culmination of a long-standing identity crisis inside Google: whether to prioritize mass-market commercial products, or build tools for scientific research.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
My grandmother's identity crisis is fascinating and frightening at the same time, like a slasher movie you can't stop watching.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
