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
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
Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team.
—
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The movie’s strongest sequences arrive in the second half, once Aaron begins to shed his most selfish impulses and gets up the nerve to pursue therapy.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
The selfish tyrant attaches himself only to those others who share his selfishness, who are eager to wear the mask of perpetual lying.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Essentially, we’re set up to be selfish.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfish
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Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The movie’s strongest sequences arrive in the second half, once Aaron begins to shed his most selfish impulses and gets up the nerve to pursue therapy.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
The selfish tyrant attaches himself only to those others who share his selfishness, who are eager to wear the mask of perpetual lying.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Essentially, we’re set up to be selfish.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfish
Cite this Entry
“Selfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfish. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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