self-distrust
Doubting one's abilities
Self-distrust is a lack of confidence in one's own abilities, judgment, or worth.
It goes beyond healthy self-doubt into a persistent questioning of oneself: Her self-distrust kept her from applying for jobs she was qualified for.
The word suggests an internal antagonism—treating oneself as unreliable or suspect.
State of being insufficient
- inferiorityLower status or quality
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
- timidityFearful lack of courage
- diffidenceModest self-distrust
unassertiveness · hesitancy · shyness · second-guessing · wariness · guardedness · defensiveness · inhibition
Lack of firm belief
- indecisionFailure to decide
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- ambivalenceConflicting emotions coexisting
- waveringShowing unsteady resolve
vacillation · tentativeness · questioning · skepticism · reservation · equivocation · irresolution · faltering
Nervous anticipation of trouble
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
- worryTroubled mental state
- uneaseMild persistent worry
- fearfulnessChronic state of dread
trepidation · dread · overthinking · hypervigilance · tension · restlessness · edginess · agitation
Probing one's innermost feelings
- ruminationProlonged, repetitive thinking
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- conscienceInternal moral sense
inadequacy
State of being insufficient
- inferiorityLower status or quality
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
- timidityFearful lack of courage
diffidence · unassertiveness · hesitancy · shyness · second-guessing · wariness · guardedness · defensiveness · inhibition · reserve
doubt
Lack of firm belief
- indecisionFailure to decide
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- ambivalenceConflicting emotions coexisting
wavering · vacillation · tentativeness · questioning · skepticism · reservation · equivocation · irresolution · faltering · misgiving
apprehension
Nervous anticipation of trouble
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
- worryTroubled mental state
- uneaseMild persistent worry
fearfulness · trepidation · dread · overthinking · hypervigilance · tension · restlessness · edginess · agitation · second-guessing
soul-searching
Probing one's innermost feelings
- ruminationProlonged, repetitive thinking
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- conscienceInternal moral sense
self-distrustself-confidence
Faith in one's capabilities
confidence · self-assurance · self-belief · self-efficacy · self-reliance
self-distrustarrogance
Excessive self-importance
conceit · self-importance · overconfidence · hubris · vanity
self-distrustself-esteem
One's sense of worth
self-respect · self-worth · self-acceptance · self-love · self-regard
trust, self, trusting, trustworthy, mistrust, esteem, distrust, selfless, distrustful