introversion
Americannoun
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the act of introverting or the state of being introverted; a turning inward.
intestinal introversion that will require surgery.
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the tendency or quality of being introverted.
intellectual introversion characterizing the post-Reformation period.
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a disposition that is taxed by social engagement and energized by calm environments, resulting in the tendency to prefer quiet solitude.
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Psychology.
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the act of directing one's interest inward or to things within the self.
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the state of being concerned primarily with one's own thoughts and feelings rather than with the external environment.
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noun
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psychol the directing of interest inwards towards one's own thoughts and feelings rather than towards the external world or making social contacts
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pathol the turning inside out of a hollow organ or part
Usage
What does introversion mean? Introversion is the state or quality of being an introvert—someone said to have a personality type that is shy and reserved.Introversion is often contrasted with extroversion (the state or quality of being an extrovert) in the study, classification, and popular discussion of personality types. Introverts are said to prefer solitude and tend to focus on their own thoughts, while extroverts are the opposite—they focus on the outside world and are social and talkative. Someone who displays introversion can be described as introverted.Example: My introversion is always whispering in my ear and telling me to leave the party early and go home and enjoy a book by myself.
Other Word Forms
- introversive adjective
- introvertive adjective
- nonintroversive adjective
- nonintroversively adverb
- nonintroversiveness noun
- unintroversive adjective
Etymology
Origin of introversion
First recorded in 1645–55 and in 1910–15 introversion for def. 4; from New Latin intrōversiōn- (stem of intrōversiō ); intro-, version
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.
Globally, introversion preferences are more common than extroversion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
Newcastle's management were keen that each signing fitted the ethos of togetherness and team spirit, but the player's introversion is certainly no longer a hindrance to his performances.
From BBC • Jan. 7, 2025
Psychologists have long described introversion and extroversion as extremes, with most of us falling somewhere in the middle.
From Slate • Sep. 1, 2024
Shadow is one of them but also synchronicity, introversion and extroversion, the collective unconscious.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2024
Their lives didn’t naturally intersect quite the same way, and Leila’s introversion didn’t invite much else.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
