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
Beware the tendency to slip into self-absorption as a Dragon, however.
—
Kyle Lucia Wu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Feb. 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
Kyle Lucia Wu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Feb. 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
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Claire’s elective death therefore remains a problematic choice for some viewers, an act of vainglorious selfishness from a woman who was never terribly nice to begin with.
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The adjectives used to describe vampire Lucy suggest monstrous selfishness.
Noun
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Vintage Mirrors Layered on Surfaces Instead of hanging every mirror, try leaning a smaller antique mirror on a console, vanity, or shelf behind other objects.
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The bathroom had a roomy tub, large shower, double vanity and very good lighting.
Noun
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Now layer in a New York fanbase whose narcissism is only matched by the novelty of its first finals since ‘99.
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That escape also reveals the profound depths of his narcissism.
Noun
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Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
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Politics, Lander said, didn’t have to be a selfish endeavor driven by ego.
Cite this Entry
“Self-absorption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-absorption. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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