selfish

adjective

self·​ish ˈsel-fish 

1

: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others

2

: arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others

a selfish act

3

: being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function

selfish DNA

also : being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication

selfish genes

Synonyms of selfish

• egocentric
• narcissistic
• self-centered
• self-absorbed
• egoistic
• self-interested
• egotistic
• egomaniacal
• solipsistic
• self-involved
• self-concerned
• self-serving
• self-obsessed
• self-oriented
• self-regarding
• self-preoccupied
• self-seeking
• self-loving

Examples of selfish in a Sentence

She's interested only in her own selfish concerns.

I wish he'd spend less time with his friends and more time with me. Am I being selfish?

Recent Examples on the Web

Stellan Skarsgård plays an aging filmmaker whose selfish past led to an estrangement from his daughters and who wants to make a movie inspired by their mom. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026

The moment causes Byron, a selfish and braggadocious villain, to have a change of heart, stopping shipments of The Beauty and paying off the families ravaged by its gruesome side effects, like Bella’s. —Hunter Ingram, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026

My actions were selfish; my actions were terrible. —Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026

In my view, this is selfish and anti-family. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for selfish

• unselfish

Kids Definition

selfish

adjective

self·​ish ˈsel-fish 

: taking care of oneself without thought for others

selfishly adverb

selfishness noun

Medical Definition

selfish

adjective

self·​ish ˈsel-fish 

: being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function

selfish DNA

also : being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication

selfish genes