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
-
Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026 -
Completely round and full, the full moon will be in the ambitious, mysterious sign of Scorpio.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Should Booker have been more selfish?—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Over the years, fans have on social media have called out Nate’s selfish behavior in his relationship with Andy, seemingly upset with her for pursuing a career in fashion.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the original, which opened in 2006 and grossed $326 million worldwide, Hathaway’s Andy is an aspiring journalist who becomes the personal assistant to Streep’s Miranda.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
-
To each of these aspiring writers, Meredith sent a brochure advertising his services.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Self-seeking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-seeking. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
