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
Relevance
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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The agency has even more ambitious plans in the years ahead — including putting boots down on the moon just a couple of years from now.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 Apr. 2026 -
The actress puts her Broadway chops to good use as the ambitious perfectionist (and Barbra Streisand obsessive) Rachel Berry on Glee, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the role.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
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
Adjective
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And for aspiring scientists, book tickets for the talk with space scientist Sheila Kanani at the Spring Stage.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
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Stephanie Christian said the funding provided by the TREP program was appealing for an aspiring teacher who would enter a historically lower-paying career.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 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 13 Apr. 2026.
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