sense of self
Americannoun
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a person's awareness of being an individual distinct from others.
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an idea or conception of one's own identity and value.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
But mostly, it makes me wonder if what makes a boy’s mother a Boy Mom is a sense of self that requires the consistent validation of being needed.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
We are sucked into our own ideological comfort zones and when we stray outside it's a shock to the system, and often our sense of self.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
"The findings may provide new insights into psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, where the sense of self is disturbed."
From Science Daily ● Jan. 14, 2026
Thompson: Not having your sense of self or identity entangled in this other self that belongs to the public seems like such a healthy thing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2025
Being home, surrounded by his loved ones, helped him regain his sense of self.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
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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.