narcissistic

adjective

nar·​cis·​sis·​tic ˌnär-sə-ˈsi-stik 

: of, relating to, or characterized by narcissism: such as

a

: extremely self-centered with an exaggerated sense of self-importance : marked by or characteristic of excessive admiration of or infatuation with oneself

a narcissistic personality

He was a very narcissistic man, not too concerned with the world.

—Oliver Sacks

But when a mother's narcissistic needs are so great that she cannot relate to her child as he really is, she loves her child as a self-object—that is, as someone put on this earth to meet her needs.

—Sue Erikson Bloland

see also narcissistic personality disorder

b

: displaying or marked by excessive concern with one's own physical appearance

… she describes the bind created for women by the judgment that a woman preoccupied with her looks is narcissistic and a woman who is not is unfeminine.

—Carol Gilligan

Our narcissistic culture has turned us into a nation of body-image "junkies" using everything in our power to carve, reshape, remold, and recast our bodies' natural shapes and processes so that they are better fitted to our desires.

—Andrew Kimbrell

Synonyms of narcissistic

• selfish

Examples of narcissistic in a Sentence

trying to raise the social consciousness of the normally narcissistic Hollywood community

Recent Examples on the Web

While Heuermann could hold the key to previously-unknown details surrounding the inner workings of a serial killer’s mind, Burgess cautions the ability to work alongside the FBI could feed into any narcissistic tendencies that are frequently observed in the most heinous criminals. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026

For more than 50 years, mental health literature has taught professionals about narcissistic behavior, with its grandiosity, exaggerated need for praise, inability to admit error, and turning setbacks into personal grievances. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026

Nicky and Morgan’s mom Linda (Laurie Metcalfe) is a narcissistic control freak who’s running for mayor of Glenview, New Jersey. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026

Narcissism was then measured for each CEO using our coding approach, producing continuous scores that range from lower to higher levels of narcissistic admiration and rivalry. —Paul Sanchez Ruiz, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

narciss(ism) + -istic

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing narcissistic

• narcissistic personality disorder

Rhymes for narcissistic

• agonistic
• altruistic
• animistic
• aphoristic
• atheistic
• cabalistic
• calvinistic
• chauvinistic
• dualistic
• egoistic
• egotistic
• eucharistic

Medical Definition

narcissistic

adjective

nar·​cis·​sis·​tic ˌnär-sə-ˈsis-tik 

: of, relating to, or characterized by narcissism or narcissistic personality disorder

narcissistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb