identity crisis

American  

noun

1. 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.

2. 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

See Examples For:

identity crisis

According to Rebecca Nagle, a citizen of Cherokee Nation, a writer and journalist, and the host of the new podcast First America, the Founding Fathers initially faced an identity crisis.

From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2026

The show needs to be having an identity crisis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

“We face this identity crisis every time we’re paired up with New York,” said Ashley Koning, the director of Rutgers University’s Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

All of this feeds into a broader identity crisis, with supporters yearning for a return to the early Abramovich era, but experiencing similar managerial turnover under the American ownership - without the same consistent success.

From BBC ● May 16, 2026

Spring has decided to go through an identity crisis and get chilly on me.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas