Imposter Syndrome
noun /ɪmˈpɒstə ˈsɪndrəʊm/ — The persistent feeling that you don't deserve your success.
Definition
A psychological pattern in which a person doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud, despite objective evidence of competence.
Beyond the definition
First identified in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. The research consistently finds it's most common among high achievers — the more capable you are, the more accurately you perceive your own limitations. Knowing this doesn't make it go away.
Origin & history
Coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in their paper on high-achieving women who believed they were 'imposters.' The term has since expanded to describe a universal human experience.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She had three degrees and fifteen years of experience, and still suffered from imposter syndrome before every presentation.
Imposter syndrome is almost a sign you're doing something right — it's common among the genuinely capable.
He'd learned to recognise his imposter syndrome as a recurring visitor, not a truth.
Synonyms
self-doubt, fraud complex, inadequacy anxiety, inner critic
Antonyms
confidence, self-assurance, hubris
Related words
- confidence
- narcissism
- cognitive-bias
- rumination
Imposter Syndrome vs self-doubt
Imposter syndrome is the specific psychological pattern of believing you are a fraud despite evidence of success. Self-doubt is a general feeling of uncertainty about one's abilities that can occur in any situation.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Person disconnected in office
An adult stands in the middle of a bustling, modern office, looking confused and entirely disconnected from their colleagues.
The feeling of being an outsider in a place where one belongs, despite the objective reality, perfectly illustrates the internal doubt and fear of being exposed that defines this syndrome.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration