Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
heart-searching
noun
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ But there is no denying that in the nineteenth century it greatly intensified, causing a good deal of heart-searching.
▪ For most members, supporting their frontbench is normal and the occasions when they rebel are rare and cause them some heart-searching.
▪ They are, in their way, a national heart-searching as well as an economic balance-sheet.
Usage examples of "heart-searching".
Tyndall, reluctantly and after much heart-searching, had decided that the Portpatrick and Gannet were suspect, a potential liability: they were to escort the crippled carrier back to Scapa.
Whilst we were still thus engaged, our friend the captain of the guard presented himself, and with many obeisances signified that we were to follow him, which we did, not without doubts and heart-searchings -- for we guessed that the time had come when we should have to settle the bill for those confounded hippopotami with our cold-eyed friend Agon, the High Priest.
The deliberate infliction of death always provokes a lot of heart-searching and ethical debate.