Phrase guide

impostor syndrome

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɪmˈpɒstə ˈsɪndɹəʊm/
  • General-American: /ɪmˈpɑstɚ ˈsɪndɹoʊm/
  • General-American: /-dɹəm/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize their accomplishments, remaining convinced that they do not deserve any accompanying success.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

First observed as impostor phenomenon by Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes in 1978.

Across languages

Translations

38 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: متلازمة المحتال — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Armenian: ինքնակոչի համախտանիշ (inkʻnakočʻi hamaxtaniš) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Bengali: ইমপোস্টার সিনড্রোম (imposṭar sinḍrom) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Chinese Mandarin: 冒名頂替綜合症 /冒名顶替综合症 (màomíng dǐngtì zōnghézhèng) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Dutch: oplichterssyndroom — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Dutch: bedriegerssyndroom — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Dutch: bedriegersfenomeen — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Finnish: huijarisyndrooma — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • French: syndrome de l'imposteur — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • French: syndrome de l'autodidacte — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • French: syndrome de l’impostrice — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • German: Impostor-Syndrom — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • German: Impostor-Phänomen — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • German: Betrüger-Phänomen — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • German: Hochstapler-Syndrom — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • German: Mogelpackungs-Syndrom — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Greek: σύνδρομο του απατεώνα (sýndromo tou apateóna) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Hebrew: תסמונת המתחזה — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Indonesian: sindrom penyemu — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Italian: sindrome dell'impostore — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Japanese: インポスター症候群 — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Korean: 가면증후군 (gamyeonjeunghugun) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Korean: 가면현상 (gamyeonhyeonsang) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Central Kurdish: کۆنیشانی فریودەر (konîşanî frîwder) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Latin: syndroma impostoris — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bedragersyndromet — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Persian: سندرم ایمپاستر — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Polish: syndrom oszusta — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Portuguese: síndrome do impostor — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Portuguese: síndrome da fraude — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Portuguese: fenómeno do impostor — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Russian: синдром самозванца (sindrom samozvanca) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Spanish: síndrome del impostor — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Spanish: síndrome de fraude — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Spanish: fenómeno del impostor — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Swedish: bluffsyndromet — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Turkish: sahtekâr sendromu — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments
  • Ukrainian: синдро́м самозва́нця (syndróm samozváncja) — psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize accomplishments