as in selfish
overly concerned with one's own desires, needs, or interests
a self-absorbed man who seems utterly oblivious to the social problems of his own urban neighborhood
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Recent Examples of self-absorbed
Benedict doesn’t realize that the woman who has entirely captured his attention is Sophie, the maid for the formidable Araminta Gun (Katie Leung), aka Lady Penwood and her daughters, the vicious and self-absorbed Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao) and the sweet but simple Posy Li (Isabella Wei).
—
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
Anyone who subscribes to that, as far as I’m concerned, was always self-absorbed and had no interest in the common good anyway.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
For the moment at least, no one can accuse me of being self-absorbed and neglectful, either.
—Lucinda Rosenfeld, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Brilliant and brave, the poet and soldier was also entirely self-absorbed, turning the Adriatic city into his own personal manuscript.
—Ed Simon
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-absorbed
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
Anyone who subscribes to that, as far as I’m concerned, was always self-absorbed and had no interest in the common good anyway.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
For the moment at least, no one can accuse me of being self-absorbed and neglectful, either.
—Lucinda Rosenfeld, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Brilliant and brave, the poet and soldier was also entirely self-absorbed, turning the Adriatic city into his own personal manuscript.
—Ed Simon
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-absorbed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-absorbed
selfish
Adjective
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Ordinary humans like Stephen’s selfish boss are depicted as giant walking eggs, while others are proportioned like bobble heads.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
11 Apr. 2026
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Terms like gaman—spelled with the kanji 我 (ego, I, selfish, our, oneself) and 慢 (ridicule, laziness)—are proof of this, as are the kigo terms that describe the emotions of the changing seasons, like kachōfūgetsu—composed of the kanji 花 (flower), 鳥 (bird), 風 (wind), and月(moon).—
Caleb Jacobs,
The Drive,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-absorbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-absorbed. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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