as in selfness
excessive interest in oneself
a singer-songwriter whose compositions are too often exercises in self-important navel-gazing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of navel-gazing
Equal to Tesfaye’s navel-gazing, Shults uses every trick in the music-video playbook to conjure a vivid, ultra-saturated but not quite realistic universe where the Weeknd is a brightly burning sun everyone revolves around.
—
Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 15 May 2025
Van Nistelrooy’s first three games brought a defeat, a victory and a draw; his fourth, on December 14, was a visit to Newcastle, who were navel-gazing after a damaging 4-2 defeat at Brentford.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The Cavs are not, to borrow a phrase from former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, navel-gazing.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
That deserves far more digital ink to be spilled than the usual navel-gazing about how iPhones are boring.
—Steven Aquino, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for navel-gazing
Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 15 May 2025
Van Nistelrooy’s first three games brought a defeat, a victory and a draw; his fourth, on December 14, was a visit to Newcastle, who were navel-gazing after a damaging 4-2 defeat at Brentford.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The Cavs are not, to borrow a phrase from former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, navel-gazing.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
That deserves far more digital ink to be spilled than the usual navel-gazing about how iPhones are boring.
—Steven Aquino, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for navel-gazing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for navel-gazing
Noun
-
The adjectives used to describe vampire Lucy suggest monstrous selfishness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 May 2026
-
Our policies have been defined more by optimism and generosity than by selfishness and cynicism.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The accompanying bathroom sports dual quartz vanities and an oversize porcelain shower topped by an arched clerestory window.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
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Bathrooms are also adorned with Calacatta Viola marble vanities and white micro cement showers.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Of course, there are many lovely actors who are curious and ask you questions about yourself and are normal, but a lot of them have been suffering from long-term main character energy and don’t have the magnetic personality to offset their narcissism.—
Ryan O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
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The narcissism charge was especially baffling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Assayas takes a cynical and clichéd view regarding temptation and corruption, worldly rewards of security and pleasure, even ego and pride, while having nothing to say about the transformations envisioned or the values embodied in the exercise of political authority.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
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To be an athlete is to prove yourself constantly, to always be risking your ego and your body.—
Jade Chang,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Hard mode: in the endless cycle of desire, self-absorption, and suffering, seek ways to live with kindness and compassion.—
Charles Yu,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The depth of her ambition was hard to reach, as was her self-absorption.—
Sara Wheeler,
Big Think,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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By widening the lens, Clark is able to redirect the book’s gaze from the mother toward a quizzical, sometimes critical, but not unaffectionate portrait of two generations of political activism, with the attendant self-involvement and domestic negligence.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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However, visibility motivation is not limited to self-involvement.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Navel-gazing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/navel-gazing. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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