self-dealing

noun

self-deal·​ing ˈself-ˈdē-liŋ 

: engagement in a transaction for the benefit of oneself rather than for the benefits of someone to whom one owes a fiduciary duty

Examples of self-dealing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The litigation is rooted in the controversy that swirled around the HFPA in 2021, when the Los Angeles Times published an investigation into the organization, pointing out its lack of diversity and instances of self-dealing. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 July 2026

And now that everything is owned by five megacorps, even the licensing will be cheap via self-dealing. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 July 2026

Other political forces are starting to reassert themselves as the US midterms approach, with Democrats shining a campaign-season spotlight on self-dealing, as Semafor’s Ben Smith wrote recently. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 July 2026

The question of self-dealing was essentially rhetorical, because the expectation that a president served the country — not himself — was foundational. — Lynn Schmidt, Mercury News, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-dealing

• annealing
• appealing
• concealing
• congealing
• freewheeling
• repealing
• revealing
• unfeeling
• ceiling
• dealing
• feeling
• healing

Legal Definition

self-dealing

noun

self-deal·​ing

ˈself-ˈdē-liŋ

: engagement in a transaction that is intended primarily to benefit one's self or the narrow interests of a few (as corporate insiders) rather than those to whom one owes a duty by virtue of one's position

self-dealing by a trustee

self-dealing adjective