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
Readers get to see Boone’s past and present, his brittle family relationships, and all of his self-serving internal narratives.
—
Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
This perception of law enforcement as a self-serving institution fuels an adversarial relationship between police and the public, makes witnesses and victims less likely to report crime, and directly undercuts our ability to effectively keep communities safe.
—Diane Goldstein, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
The norm in American foreign policy has been that all interventions, including blatantly self-serving ones, are pitched in elevated humanitarian terms.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
So, what happens when self-serving narratives collide with a deep (and recent) history?
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Welcome to Amerizuela, where the leader is self-serving and out for his own gains.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Instead, the Engel-Jackson family is more run-of-the-mill awful — a recognizable pack of self-serving jerks more focused on the appearance of cheer than any real kindness.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2025
Not long after a 27-22 victory over Baltimore on Sunday in which the Pittsburgh Steelers somehow pulled themselves back from the brink, their future Hall of Fame quarterback did what he's done in his unique (if occasionally self-serving) way over and over through the years.
—CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
But the film is also a surprisingly thoughtful examination of faith and the ease with which genuine, if maybe misguided, belief can be manipulated and used as a self-serving tool.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 9 Dec. 2025
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Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
This perception of law enforcement as a self-serving institution fuels an adversarial relationship between police and the public, makes witnesses and victims less likely to report crime, and directly undercuts our ability to effectively keep communities safe.
—Diane Goldstein, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
The norm in American foreign policy has been that all interventions, including blatantly self-serving ones, are pitched in elevated humanitarian terms.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
So, what happens when self-serving narratives collide with a deep (and recent) history?
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Welcome to Amerizuela, where the leader is self-serving and out for his own gains.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Instead, the Engel-Jackson family is more run-of-the-mill awful — a recognizable pack of self-serving jerks more focused on the appearance of cheer than any real kindness.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2025
Not long after a 27-22 victory over Baltimore on Sunday in which the Pittsburgh Steelers somehow pulled themselves back from the brink, their future Hall of Fame quarterback did what he's done in his unique (if occasionally self-serving) way over and over through the years.
—CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
But the film is also a surprisingly thoughtful examination of faith and the ease with which genuine, if maybe misguided, belief can be manipulated and used as a self-serving tool.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-serving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-serving. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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