self-serving
adjective
self-serv·ing
ˌself-ˈsər-viŋ 
: serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others
self-servingly
adverb
Examples of self-serving in a Sentence
she's just another self-serving politician who puts her own ambitions above the public good
Recent Examples on the Web
For your own self-serving purposes.
—
Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2025
Lee ignores them, and his self-serving need to fix things and soothe his own sense of injustice leads to sloppiness.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
While a dog can be bribed with a squeaky toy and a pig would surely look at the camera when enticed with a sausage on a stick, cats are known for their admirably self-serving demeanors.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Mike wants a partnership with Hobbs that is clearly self-serving, to protect his brother.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Yet Aster casts their motives as unprincipled and self-serving.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
The potential for self-serving bias and belief bias are evident.
—Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
For officials in China and Russia, de facto adversaries of the United States, the Iraq War is an easy precedent to put forward to shoot down Washington’s talking points, no matter how self-serving and cynical that may be.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023
These gentlemen are all capable storytellers, albeit invariably self-serving ones.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023
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Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2025
Lee ignores them, and his self-serving need to fix things and soothe his own sense of injustice leads to sloppiness.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
While a dog can be bribed with a squeaky toy and a pig would surely look at the camera when enticed with a sausage on a stick, cats are known for their admirably self-serving demeanors.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Mike wants a partnership with Hobbs that is clearly self-serving, to protect his brother.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Yet Aster casts their motives as unprincipled and self-serving.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
The potential for self-serving bias and belief bias are evident.
—Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
For officials in China and Russia, de facto adversaries of the United States, the Iraq War is an easy precedent to put forward to shoot down Washington’s talking points, no matter how self-serving and cynical that may be.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023
These gentlemen are all capable storytellers, albeit invariably self-serving ones.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Self-serving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-serving. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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