selfish

adjective

ˈsel-fish How to pronounce selfish (audio)
Definition of selfishnext
as in egocentric
overly concerned with one's own desires, needs, or interests a selfish desire to succeed at the expense of others

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of selfish Some of those reasons, such as considering suicidal thoughts to be selfish, contribute to stigma. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026 So unlike selfish actions, selfless acts of kindness have a real and lasting basis. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Sep. 2026 No one, in my opinion, comes close to this selfish, foul-mouthed and stupid showman. — Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026 Her selfish actions highlight how addiction not only affects users but also those most vulnerable around them. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for selfish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selfish
  1. egocentric
  2. narcissistic
  3. self-centered
  4. self-absorbed
  5. egoistic
  6. self-interested
  7. egotistic
  8. egomaniacal
Adjective
  • Any media outlet blindly amplifying Kimmel’s egocentric delusion should insist on proof.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • This preemptive caretaking also prevents people from growing out of egocentric thinking.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of egocentric
Adjective
  • The series produced by Mia Oikanen for Warner Bros Int’l Television Production Finland tells of a shy theater prop master who accidentally becomes a killer while trying to please everyone around her, especially her narcissistic mom.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Her ex-husband, Logan (Owen McDonnell), is a narcissistic man-child, so there’s no help coming from him, nor her elderly parents (one of whom has lost two toes to diabetes).
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of narcissistic
Adjective
  • Watts was also hindering the healing process by being insensitive and self-centered, friends say.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The Jordan that the audience gets to know is a bit surly and self-centered.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of self-centered
Adjective
  • Digger is wealthy, self-absorbed, insulated in his own reality, and sees himself as the center of the world in a way that many of us presume huge movie stars like Tom Cruise do.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Lacobs were ultimately too risk-averse, too cautious, and too self-absorbed to build anything of worth without their former general manager.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
Definition of self-absorbed
Adjective
  • Three hundred high school players gather at a remote facility to compete in ruthless trials where only one will emerge as the world’s greatest and most egoistic striker.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of egoistic
Adjective
  • Even when the effects are more subtle, the relationship between genome and transposon seems to sometimes go deeper than that of a host adapting to an invading, self-interested genetic force.
    — Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • This view suggests that the sense of shame was collectively weakened by a series of self-interested actors who shattered the social firmament and opened up the gates to chaos.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of self-interested
Adjective
  • Through remarkable archival footage and an incredible range of interviews, Monsters of God digs into the egotistical and ruthless mentalities that supported competing criminal empires and the undercover operations that dismantled them.
    — Rory Doherty, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Where some may see this behavior as vain or egotistical, others may perceive it as bold, self-assured and passionate.
    — Mallorie Sullivan, USA Today, 20 July 2026
Definition of egotistic
Adjective
  • He’s portrayed as an egomaniacal philanderer, and the real Hansen is outraged.
    — Gina Park, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Wilson is right that Nolan’s movie lacks Odysseus’ egomaniacal brilliance.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of egomaniacal

Browse Nearby Words

self-involvement
selfish
selfishness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Selfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selfish. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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