solipsism

noun so·lip·sism \ ˈsō-ləp-ˌsi-zəm , ˈsä- \

|Updated on: 5 Jun 2018

Definition of solipsism

: a theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing; also : extreme egocentrism

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solipsist

play \ˈsō-ləp-sist, ˈsä-ləp-, sə-ˈlip-\ noun

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solipsistic

play \ˌsō-ləp-ˈsi-stik, ˌsä-\ adjective

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solipsistically

play \ˌsō-ləp-ˈsi-sti-k(ə-)lē, ˌsä-\ adverb

See solipsism defined for English-language learners

solipsism was our Word of the Day on 10/03/2014. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of solipsism from the Web

Less concerned with questions of form and style than their autofiction forebears, these novels and stories suggest that fiction has finally begun to move from its place of deep solipsism to address a deepening sense of futility.

— megan o’grady, New York Times, "Read Any Antisocial Novels Lately?," 10 May 2018
Anyway, what is solipsism in wartime but the selfishness of survival?

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Walter Kempowski’s Epic Novel of Germany in Collapse," 21 Mar. 2016
Commentators have dwelled on the traits of theatricality, brutality, solipsism, narcissism, cruelty, and cowardice these men seem to share.

— chicagotribune.com, "Mattis is an ancient Roman action hero," 29 Mar. 2018
An offhand comment about Brexit best illustrates the solipsism of Drozdiak’s identification with the EU and of his disgust with its enemies.

— michael kimmage, New Republic, "What Happened to the European Union?," 8 Jan. 2018
Even the most optimistic women give up in frustration in the face of Krystal’s overwhelming solipsism.

— melissa locker, Time, "'The Bachelor' Goes Bowling for Roses in Fort Lauderdale," 31 Jan. 2018
Advocates of this theory point to his short attention span, his incapacity for empathy, his narcissism, and solipsism as evidence.

— dahlia lithwick, Slate Magazine, "Is Donald Trump Too Incapacitated to Be President?," 17 May 2017
But the aspect of The O’Reilly Factor that always shocked me was a different kind of resentment, which took the form of the anchor’s unrepentant solipsism.

— isaac chotiner, Slate Magazine, "Still a Factor," 19 Apr. 2017
Ms. Swicord — and Mr. Cranston, too — seem trapped in Wakefield’s solipsism.

— a. o. scott, New York Times, "Review: Bryan Cranston Is a Dad in Suburban Exile in ‘Wakefield’," 17 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'solipsism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Fans of René Descartes credit the French philosopher with introducing solipsism as a major problem of modern philosophy, but the word solipsism most likely sprang from a French satire written by Giulio Clemente Scotti in 1652 called La Monarchie des Solipses. The term wasn't used in English until the late 19th century, when solipsism, a composite of the Latin solus ("alone") and ipse ("self"), was applied purely in the philosophical sense. Recently the word has taken on another, more general sense, suggesting an ego-driven selfishness or self-indulgence.