as in selfish
overly concerned with one's own desires, needs, or interests
she's just another self-serving politician who puts her own ambitions above the public good
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Recent Examples of self-serving
The acknowledgment of privilege and the rebuke of its self-serving justifications for oppression is another motif in Gunn’s work.
—
Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
While a dog can be bribed with a squeaky toy and a pig would surely look at the camera when enticed with a sausage on a stick, cats are known for their admirably self-serving demeanors.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Mike wants a partnership with Hobbs that is clearly self-serving, to protect his brother.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Yet Aster casts their motives as unprincipled and self-serving.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
The potential for self-serving bias and belief bias are evident.
—Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
For officials in China and Russia, de facto adversaries of the United States, the Iraq War is an easy precedent to put forward to shoot down Washington’s talking points, no matter how self-serving and cynical that may be.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023
These gentlemen are all capable storytellers, albeit invariably self-serving ones.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023
However, the kind of misinformed chaos where the responsible industry is given almost carte blanche to hide information and undertake a self-serving response is not the norm across industries.
—Maya Van Rossum, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2023
Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
While a dog can be bribed with a squeaky toy and a pig would surely look at the camera when enticed with a sausage on a stick, cats are known for their admirably self-serving demeanors.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Mike wants a partnership with Hobbs that is clearly self-serving, to protect his brother.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Yet Aster casts their motives as unprincipled and self-serving.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
The potential for self-serving bias and belief bias are evident.
—Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
For officials in China and Russia, de facto adversaries of the United States, the Iraq War is an easy precedent to put forward to shoot down Washington’s talking points, no matter how self-serving and cynical that may be.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023
These gentlemen are all capable storytellers, albeit invariably self-serving ones.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023
However, the kind of misinformed chaos where the responsible industry is given almost carte blanche to hide information and undertake a self-serving response is not the norm across industries.
—Maya Van Rossum, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-serving
selfish
Adjective
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Delivering presents and spreading good cheer is not selfish Scott’s idea of a high calling, although the prospect of working only one day a year has its enticements.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Sometimes those selfish people create progress.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-serving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-serving. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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