as in selfness
excessive interest in oneself
the novel's major characters all suffer from self-absorption, and they are every bit as insufferable as such people are in real life
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Recent Examples of self-absorption
But self-awareness doesn’t obviate self-absorption.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2026
Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas play sisters, raised in a sprawling yet cozy house that has been in the family for years; when their mother dies, they’re forced to reckon with the selfishness and self-absorption of their long estranged filmmaker father (Stellan Skarsgård).
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Dec. 2025
Maybe the symptoms of his cognitive decline are inextricable from what seemed to you to be his general self-absorption and thoughtlessness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Frost’s well is a modern version of Narcissus’ pool, and his poem is a meditation on self-absorption and its limits.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-absorption
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2026
Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas play sisters, raised in a sprawling yet cozy house that has been in the family for years; when their mother dies, they’re forced to reckon with the selfishness and self-absorption of their long estranged filmmaker father (Stellan Skarsgård).
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Dec. 2025
Maybe the symptoms of his cognitive decline are inextricable from what seemed to you to be his general self-absorption and thoughtlessness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Frost’s well is a modern version of Narcissus’ pool, and his poem is a meditation on self-absorption and its limits.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-absorption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-absorption
Noun
-
People wear masks to hide their selfishness, deceiving others in order to satisfy their own desires.—
Kenneth Andrew Andres Leonardo,
The Conversation,
6 Mar. 2026
-
At its core, narcissism is defined by a lack of empathy—not just occasional selfishness, but a consistent inability or unwillingness to step into someone else’s world.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Open the door to the Chamber, and you're faced with a sink, a vanity, two wardrobes, and two frosted-glass doors, behind which are a shower and a toilet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
-
But gone are the days when an effective routine also meant a cluttered bathroom vanity full of products—instead of needing multiple serums, sunscreens, and moisturizers to target different results, the latest products combine SPF and anti-aging effects all in one.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her great, big burlesque performance is a striptease that, layer by layer, reveals her narcissism, her naïveté and her broken heart.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Stellan Skarsgård captures the passive-aggressive narcissism of the artist patriarch who has much to apologize for but mostly thinks his daughters are too mean to him.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Almost instantly, their approaches clash, egos collide, and sparks fly like Westside has never seen.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The 2026 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante attracts attention, important for supercar buyers’ egos.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-absorption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-absorption. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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