Meaning & use

introspection

noun·Advanced

The examination of one's own thoughts, feelings, and motives, especially through careful, quiet reflection.

See it in a sentence

After the failed project, she spent the weekend in quiet introspection about her choices.

The novel's narrator is prone to long stretches of introspection between major events.

A note on using this word

Introspection focuses inward on one's own mind, distinguishing it from observation, which is directed outward at the external world.

Words with a similar meaning

self-reflectioncontemplation

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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