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
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
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
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
-
Jokic plays below the rim, accents the margins, makes the right play, everything that runs contrary to the selfishness rewarded in this exhibition.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2026
-
While lambasting Menendez Abdala for her selfishness, Freire also blasted her family members — and her former cop boyfriend — who helped her flee to Mexico.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If there’s not enough space in your vanity to keep the counter clear, a storage cabinet is a great way to keep daily items accessible.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
-
So, roughly $300 billion – a 7% gap – separates these three countries from California on this vanity scoreboard.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In fact, contrary to popular opinion, studies show that singletons are not at significantly higher risk of developing adverse personality traits like narcissism or hypochondria.—
Cynthia Hanson,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
-
As Lucy, Stephen, and their friends become intertwined in each others’ lives, the show explores themes of narcissism, emotional abuse, blackmail, and toxic codependency.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But all options should be considered, using our adult egos.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Participants are urged to restrain harmful speech, dishonesty, anger and ego.—
Irfan Sarwar,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For centuries, the story functioned as a moral warning against vanity and self-absorption.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
But self-awareness doesn’t obviate self-absorption.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Wettig noted in an August 2009 interview with NPR that though Thirtysomething's characters were often accused of being narcissistic by critics, their self-involvement was also reflective of the time.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Sep. 2025
-
In terms that viewers of the original series might understand, Esmeralda falls somewhere between the tyranny of Michael Scott, the absurdity of Dwight Schrute, and the self-involvement of Kelly Kapoor with a particular charisma that only Impacciatore could pull off.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Navel-gazing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/navel-gazing. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
