SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
introspective
adjective
Inclined to examine one's own thoughts and feelings.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Examining one's inner life
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topIntrospection concerns one's own thoughts and feelings; contemplation can concern any subject.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The introspective family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
introspectionnoun
Examination of one's own thoughts and feelings.
Examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
The quiet journey gave her time for introspection.
His journal combined travel notes with candid introspection.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See introspective in use
The memoir becomes increasingly introspective in its final chapters.
An introspective journal entry examines why she wanted control and why the group's silence left her dissatisfied.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license