1
as in ambitious
having a strong desire for personal advancement
a self-seeking schemer who claimed others' ideas and achievements as his own
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in selfish
overly concerned with one's own desires, needs, or interests
a self-seeking woman who could be counted on to sidetrack all conversation into a discussion of her problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-seeking
Adjective
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China has laid out an ambitious lunar plan to land astronauts on the moon before 2030, targeting the south pole, which contains water ice and other resources critical for long-term lunar exploration and settlement.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026 -
His answer is ambitious and old-fashioned.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Until crude vulgarians like Miller came along, no prominent American political figure would claim on our behalf a right to use our power for purely selfish ends, at the expense of other democratic states and foreign peoples.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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There are selfish motives as Hawk is also secretly trying to track down whoever is blackmailing him.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Three teenagers have been indicted in the the fatal shooting of an aspiring TikTok influencer near a Jersey Shore boardwalk over the summer, officials announced.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Professional and aspiring writers have opportunities for recognition, publication and financial awards from competitions produced by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park.—
Myrna Petlicki,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Self-seeking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-seeking. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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