as in egocentric
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Recent Examples of inner-directed
One is inner-directed, determined to build self-esteem.
—
Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2023
Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inner-directed
Adjective
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This evolution moves away from egocentric, top-down control toward an ecosystemic consciousness that centers on shared responsibility, psychological safety and societal fairness.—
Lourdes Mestre,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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The Miniature Wife Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen star in this dramedy about an egocentric scientist on the verge of a breakthrough who accidentally shrinks his wife, a Pulitzer-winning author who hasn’t written a lick in more than a decade.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Who hasn’t nodded along in recognition while listening to a story about a nightmare roommate, or had a narcissistic relative who makes everything about himself?—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
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In reality, narcissistic pathology can’t be defined by a single behavior, nor can it be identified based on a single interaction.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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The article emphasizes that securing one's own financial future isn't selfish but essential to avoid becoming a future burden.—
Jonathan I. Shenkman,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Experts emphasize that self-care is not selfish.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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Mary disrupts Clark’s equilibrium with the Backrooms by refusing to validate his excuses for his behavior, fully calling out his failings, his petty assholery, and his glib, solipsistic lies.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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Tems, in particular, got foregrounded by the video cameras, as the show took a more communal, less solipsistic turn.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His new wife is demanding and self-centered, with clear narcissistic traits.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
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That’s a big step forward for the character who’s sometimes been a little self-centered in the past.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Life in the middle, utterly self-absorbed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 June 2026
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Sarah Michelle Gellar’s running gag as the celebrity everyone’s too self-absorbed to recognize, for example, exemplifies the film’s willingness to hold nothing sacred, with the actors invited to follow suit.—
Todd Gilchrist,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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As Dylan plays a series of shows, he is also seen in various hotel rooms, cutting down journalists and others with a self-regarding wit.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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The screenwriter, Nora Garrett, has achieved an amusingly florid Hollywood simulacrum—one that tilts into knowing parody—of an intensely self-regarding world.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Three hundred high school players gather at a remote facility to compete in ruthless trials where only one will emerge as the world’s greatest and most egoistic striker.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inner-directed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inner-directed. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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