as in selfness
excessive interest in oneself
a singer-songwriter whose compositions are too often exercises in self-important navel-gazing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of navel-gazing
Beyond the lifeboat of major film festivals, which still assist a handful of buzzy international and independent films in their treacherous journey to release, such entities as the self-congratulatory, navel-gazing Oscars have seemingly abandoned the inclusion of riskier, daring films.
—
Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
Ortberg urged staff to focus on beating its French planemaker competitor Airbus instead of navel-gazing at its own issues.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
In the end, this leads to a novel that might be Murakami’s most navel-gazing work, and one that has the unmistakable feel of a coda.
—Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
If the idea of a deep dive into the pop-culture Zeitgeist of Obama’s presidency feels like an exhausting amount of navel-gazing, well, nothing could be more true to the spirit of the time.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for navel-gazing
Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
Ortberg urged staff to focus on beating its French planemaker competitor Airbus instead of navel-gazing at its own issues.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
In the end, this leads to a novel that might be Murakami’s most navel-gazing work, and one that has the unmistakable feel of a coda.
—Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
If the idea of a deep dive into the pop-culture Zeitgeist of Obama’s presidency feels like an exhausting amount of navel-gazing, well, nothing could be more true to the spirit of the time.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for navel-gazing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for navel-gazing
Noun
-
Eventually, though, the depth and selfishness of corporate psychopathy in unchecked leadership positions can cost an organization the trust of its employees.—
Shawn Cole,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Speaking on ground where the Indonesian military had buried Timorese freedom fighters, Francis warned against the intrusion of Western liberal values that encourage materialism and selfishness.—
VICTOR GAETAN,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The result is an almost weary vanity, in which the author plays himself as if under duress, simultaneously flourishing and folding up the self.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
Its offerings—face oils, supplements, vitamin treatments, and serums—reflect a holistic approach to skincare, treating the skin as an organ and prioritizing health over vanity.—
Ian Malone,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Yeah, never beating the narcissism rumors with that behavior.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 July 2025
-
There was both wisdom and insanity to his narcissism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Such braggadocio is just more evidence of a narcissistic ego.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 July 2025
-
True allyship requires checking one's ego at the door, prioritizing what's right over being right, and humbly learning from others.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
When Your Greatest Strength Becomes Your Weakness Confidence is essential in leadership, but there's a fine line between self-assurance and self-absorption.—
Isabelita Castilho,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
His self-absorption, against the backdrop of such enormous loss, was particularly striking.—
Kevin Johnson,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
She’s played by an A-list celebrity — Cate Blanchett — operating in a city renowned for its self-involvement and privilege.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
-
The conceit and self-involvement of Isabella’s brother John is also dispatched effectively, not with aphorism but with his own words.—
Adelle Waldman,
New Yorker,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Navel-gazing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/navel-gazing. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share