Imposter Syndrome

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.

How to use it

This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”

Choose “Imposter Syndrome” when the meaning fits your context: 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.

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

Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.

She had just been appointed to lead a department of forty people. The announcement had mentioned her credentials — which were genuine, which she had earned — and she had read it three times and felt, after each read, more convinced that someone had made a mistake.

She described this to a mentor, expecting to be told she was wrong. Instead the mentor said: "Most of the people in rooms you'll be in for the rest of your career feel exactly this."

This did not resolve the feeling. It made it navigable. She has led that department for nine years. The feeling has not entirely gone. She has learned to chair meetings while it's present.

Questions about this word

What does "Imposter Syndrome" mean?

Imposter Syndrome is noun meaning: The persistent feeling that you don't deserve your success.. 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.

Which words express “doubting you deserve your success”?

Imposter Syndrome — The persistent feeling that you don't deserve your success.

Where does the word "Imposter Syndrome" come from?

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.