soul-searching

American  

[sohl-sur-ching] / ˈsoʊlˌsɜr tʃɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of close and penetrating analysis of oneself, to determine one's true motives and sentiments.

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soul-searching British  

noun

1. deep or critical examination of one's motives, actions, beliefs, etc

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adjective

1. displaying the characteristics of deep or painful self-analysis

Etymology

Origin of soul-searching

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

After your friend has sold the car, he has some soul-searching to do.

From MarketWatch

When one loses, it leads to some deep soul-searching and a focus on what can be improved - particularly when they next meet each other.

From BBC

Newcastle's dismal 3-1 defeat at lowly West Ham on Sunday left the Magpies languishing in 13th place in the Premier League and prompted a painful bout of soul-searching on Tyneside.

From Barron's

Less apology than explanation, and less explanation than soul-searching screed, this novel has a huge voice, a woman’s attempt to create meaning from the depths of family trauma.

From Los Angeles Times

Mayor Johnson says the business community is being “awfully unreasonable” in its opposition to the tax and that it should “do some real soul-searching.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• contemplation
• reflection
• rumination
• self-examination