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
Relevance
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
Sometimes that means being a little selfish.
—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Experts emphasize that self-care is not selfish.
—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Both can be selfish, and both can be hard to see clearly on your own.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Maeve could be selfish and self-deluding.
—
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfish
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Experts emphasize that self-care is not selfish.
—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Both can be selfish, and both can be hard to see clearly on your own.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Maeve could be selfish and self-deluding.
—
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selfish
Adjective
-
It is used in systems like EgoMimic and EMMA to train manipulation policies from egocentric human data.
-
In less than a year, several firms have cropped up in India that recruit people to record first-person or egocentric videos.
Adjective
-
But the show still makes its point that the world of this play has narcissistic aggressors and flailing victims, and those who fall into both of those categories.
-
Who hasn’t nodded along in recognition while listening to a story about a nightmare roommate, or had a narcissistic relative who makes everything about himself?
Adjective
-
Employees do not need to become self-centered or aggressive to receive proper recognition.
-
His new wife is demanding and self-centered, with clear narcissistic traits.
Adjective
-
Life in the middle, utterly self-absorbed.
-
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s running gag as the celebrity everyone’s too self-absorbed to recognize, for example, exemplifies the film’s willingness to hold nothing sacred, with the actors invited to follow suit.
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.
Adjective
-
For many leaders, the phrase conjures up whispered alliances, opportunistic loyalty, self-interested maneuvering and the slow poisoning of organizational culture.
-
The first revolution demolished the neoliberal picture of human nature, in which people are the rational, self-interested maximizers of economic textbooks.
Adjective
-
Éanna Hardwicke, meanwhile, is similarly impressive as the hothead whose national pride manifests itself in the most egotistical ways.
-
Is this the same guy who Real Madrid fans think is too posh to press, too egotistical to work for his team-mates, too distracted by fame to bleed for the shirt?
Adjective
-
His insatiable desire to brand everything—from boats, to ballrooms, to bills—exceeds some of the most egomaniacal leaders in history, but these are not new qualities.
-
In the fifth and final season of The Boys, the world is completely subject to Homelander’s erratic, egomaniacal whims.
Cite this Entry
“Selfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selfish. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
