self-doubt

noun

"self-doubt" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“self-doubt” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The doubting of one's own abilities.

Corpus desk

Index EN-self-doubt · self-doubt · English

self-doubt · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for self-doubt
PropertyValue
Headwordself-doubt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “self-doubt” in English

self-doubtranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

self-doubt is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "The doubting of one's own abilities.".

No misspelling variants are generated for self-doubt in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From self- + doubt. The correct English form is self-doubt, spelled S-E-L-F---D-O-U-B-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The doubting of one's own abilities.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how self-doubt appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Yet in spite of these yearnings for a fallen leader, in spite of some bitterness, in spite of apprehensions, I knew it was imperative that I grasp the reins of power and do so without delay. Any hesitation or wavering, any false step, any sign of self-doubt, could have been disastrous. The nation was in a state of shock and grief. The times cried out for…
  2. None of the three feel they have encountered any resistance from colleagues in pursuing their chosen industry paths, although Rachel recalls how self-doubt initially hindered her progress.

Etymology

From self- + doubt.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "self-doubt"?
"self-doubt" is spelled S-E-L-F---D-O-U-B-T.
What does "self-doubt" mean?
As a noun, "self-doubt" means: The doubting of one's own abilities.
What is the origin of the word "self-doubt"?
From self- + doubt. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list