as in selfishness
excessive interest in oneself
her degree of self-interest is perhaps best reflected in her favorite topic of conversation—herself
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-interest
There is no situation where a constituent should have the slightest concern that their lawmaker is acting in their personal self-interest rather than the interest of their constituents.
—
Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 June 2025
The overwhelming amount of IRA spending for factories and everything is going into red districts, so there’s just the basic economic self-interest of Republicans in those districts.
—Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
But Kim makes decisions based not on mutual trust but on cold calculations of self-interest.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2025
Yet critics argue that hegemonic systems often mask the self-interest of the dominant state, using consent to obscure coercion.
—Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-interest
Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 June 2025
The overwhelming amount of IRA spending for factories and everything is going into red districts, so there’s just the basic economic self-interest of Republicans in those districts.
—Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
But Kim makes decisions based not on mutual trust but on cold calculations of self-interest.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2025
Yet critics argue that hegemonic systems often mask the self-interest of the dominant state, using consent to obscure coercion.
—Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-interest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-interest
Noun
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Years after graduation, the harsh reality of the New York art scene sets in, and Willow’s selfishness becomes more and more apparent.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
24 June 2025
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Are his words out of greed and selfishness or to better lives?—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2025
Noun
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The main bedroom included a four-poster mahogany bed, a fireplace, a love seat, and a small table, while the bathroom offered dual vanities, ample closet space, and a deep soaking tub.—
Carole Dixon,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2025
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Fire vanity projects and double down on core values.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
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When egos are set aside, silos are broken, and people move as one — kids are found, hope is restored, and the system starts to change.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
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The recent taco taunting has been a blow to his fragile ego that couldn’t go unanswered.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
23 June 2025
Noun
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In advance of the ceremony, the finalists were asked an essential question: Orwell claimed that prose writers have four ‘great motivations’ (putting aside the need to earn a living): sheer egoism; aesthetic enthusiasm; historical impulse; and political purpose.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
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Trump’s slogans—America First and Make America Great Again—embody the essence of populism, namely using ideology to advance a political program that is morally unconstrained and driven by collective egoism.—
BÁLINT MADLOVICS,
Foreign Affairs,
10 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-interest. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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