SELF-EXAMINATION

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does self-examination mean? 

• SELF-EXAMINATION (noun)
  The noun SELF-EXAMINATION has 1 sense:

1. the contemplation of your own thoughts and desires and conduct

  Familiarity information: SELF-EXAMINATION used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SELF-EXAMINATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The contemplation of your own thoughts and desires and conduct

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

introspection; self-contemplation; self-examination

Hypernyms ("self-examination" is a kind of...):

contemplation; musing; reflection; reflexion; rumination; thoughtfulness (a calm, lengthy, intent consideration)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "self-examination"):

self-analysis; soul-searching (a penetrating examination of your own beliefs and motives)

examen; examination (a detailed inspection of your conscience (as done daily by Jesuits))

 Context examples 

Why she did not like Jane Fairfax might be a difficult question to answer; Mr. Knightley had once told her it was because she saw in her the really accomplished young woman, which she wanted to be thought herself; and though the accusation had been eagerly refuted at the time, there were moments of self-examination in which her conscience could not quite acquit her.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

We varied the legal character of these proceedings by going to see some perspiring Wax-work, in Fleet Street (melted, I should hope, these twenty years); and by visiting Miss Linwood's Exhibition, which I remember as a Mausoleum of needlework, favourable to self-examination and repentance; and by inspecting the Tower of London; and going to the top of St. Paul's.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)