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Definitions

soul-searching

[sohl-sur-ching] / ˈsoʊlˌsɜr tʃɪŋ /
NOUN
introspection
Synonyms
STRONGEST
contemplation reflection rumination self-examination
STRONG
meditation self-analysis
WEAK
deep thought heart-searching self-questioning

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.

Hellerstein’s friend and former law partner, Joel Cohen, said the judge wouldn’t have decided to stay on the case without his usual soul-searching.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Countries will be trying to make sense of the daring U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, prompting a lot of geopolitical soul-searching this week.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

The Lakers underwent some soul-searching at practice Saturday, with coach JJ Redick starting the conversation before allowing players to speak freely about the team’s issues.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2025

There will likely have been some soul-searching and in-depth analysis in the past days as a consequence.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

As you can probably tell, after a lot of soul-searching I decided to give up my short experiment with being a vegetarian.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan