egocentric

play

adjective ego·cen·tric \ ˌē-gō-ˈsen-trik also ˌe- \

Definition of egocentric

1 :concerned with the individual rather than society

2 :taking the ego as the starting point in philosophy

3 a :limited in outlook or concern to one's own activities or needs

b :self-centered, selfish

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egocentric

noun

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egocentrically

play \ˌē-gō-tri-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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egocentricity

play \ˌē-gō-ˌsen-ˈtri-sə-tē\ noun

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egocentrism

play \ˌē-gō-ˈsen-ˌtri-zəm\ noun

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Examples of egocentric in a Sentence

the cult attracts egocentric people who are preoccupied with reaching their potential as individuals

Recent Examples of egocentric from the Web

Soon after, Monica’s fans accused Brandy of being too egocentric and flooded the singer’s Instagram with mean-spirited comments.

— Vogue, "James Corden and John Boyega Take On the Very Real 2017 Brandy vs. Monica Beef With “The Boy Is Mine” Parody," 10 Aug. 2017
Insensitive to everyone and everything but his work, this egocentric control freak bullies friends and co-workers and estranges his lovers and family members.

— john von rhein, chicagotribune.com, "Steve Jobs opera in Santa Fe shows a troubled tech wizard in search of his humanity," 8 Aug. 2017
Wright's knack for publicity and egocentric insistence on the rectitude of his philosophy and designs all contributed to the staying power of his larger-than-life reputation.

— beth j. harpaz, courant.com, "MOMA Celebrates Frank Lloyd Wright's 150 Years," 5 July 2017
Viceland’s first attempt at a scripted show is a dramedy in which James Van Der Beek stars as a satirically egocentric version of Diplo, the world-famous DJ and record producer.

— hank stuever, kansascity.com, "Summer TV 2017: 21 new and returning shows to watch," 15 June 2017
As the White House aides scrambling to calm the president surely understand, even Trump could not survive such a seismic and egocentric abuse of power.

— vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "Why Trump’s Latest Power Play Is a Recipe for Disaster," 14 June 2017
As the White House aides scrambling to calm the president surely understand, even Trump could not survive such a seismic and egocentric abuse of power.

— isobel thompson, The Hive, "Why Trump’s Latest Power Play Is a Recipe for Disaster," 14 June 2017
Impulsive, egocentric, and mendacious, Trump has, in the same span, set fire to the integrity of his office.

— david remnick, The New Yorker, "A Hundred Days of Trump," 21 Apr. 2017
These qualities represent our successes and failures at escaping our own egocentric bubbles, and understanding the lives of others—even when those others wear our own older faces.

— ed yong, The Atlantic, "Self-Control Is Just Empathy With Your Future Self," 6 Dec. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'egocentric.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Ego means "I" in Latin. To an egocentric person, I is the most important word in the language. Great artists and writers are often egocentrics; such people can be hard to live with, though their egocentricity, an unfortunate side effect of their talent, is often forgiven. But ordinary egocentricity, which shows up as selfishness, lack of sympathy, and lack of interest in other people, usually has little to do with any personal talent or success.