self-accusation
/'self,ækju:'zeiʃn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An admission that you have failed to do or be something you know you should do or be: The act of accusing or blaming oneself, often for a perceived failure, fault, or wrongdoing.
Usage
- Self-accusation is a formal or psychological term. It describes the internal process of holding oneself responsible and expressing blame inwardly. It is often associated with guilt, regret, or a strict conscience.
- It is typically used as a non-count noun (e.g., ), but can be used countably when referring to specific instances (e.g., ).
Examples
- Noun:
- After the mistake, he was consumed by feelings of guilt and self-accusation.
- Her constant self-accusation prevented her from moving on from the past.
- The therapist helped him work through his painful self-accusations about not being a good enough parent.
Advanced Usage
- Psychological Context: In psychology, chronic self-accusation can be a symptom of conditions like depression or anxiety.
- The patient's depressive episode was characterized by intense self-accusation and worthlessness.
- Literary/Formal Context: Used in literature or formal writing to describe a character's or person's inner turmoil.
- The memoir is a journey through the author's self-accusation and eventual self-forgiveness.
Variants and Related Words
- Self-accusatory (adjective): Having the character of or expressing self-accusation.
- He wrote a self-accusatory letter detailing his regrets.
- Self-blame (noun): A close synonym, often used interchangeably in everyday language, though can sound more formal.
- Instead of self-blame, try to focus on what you can learn from the experience.
Synonyms
- Self-reproach: Blame directed at oneself.
- Self-condemnation: Strong disapproval of oneself.
- Guilt: The fact of having committed a specified or implied offense; the feeling associated with self-accusation.
Antonyms
- Self-justification: The act of justifying or defending oneself.
- Self-exoneration: The act of clearing oneself from blame.
- Self-praise: The act of praising oneself.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- To beat oneself up (over something): (Idiom, informal) To blame or criticize oneself harshly. This is a more colloquial way to express the concept of self-accusation.
- Stop beating yourself up over a minor error.
- A guilty conscience: A feeling of guilt that leads to self-accusation.
- His self-accusation stemmed from a guilty conscience.
Noun
- an admission that you have failed to do or be something you know you should do or be