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
There’s a purely selfish motivation.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In the 1988 film, Scrooge is represented by Frank Cross (Murray), a high-strung, selfish and arrogant TV executive living in Manhattan.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025
Jack is the selfish lone wolf who becomes part of a team in order to defeat Brass Body, a destructive force whose flesh can transform into metal (played by Dave Bautista).
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
What’s certain is that, in a world that is often selfish and transactional, generosity stands out.
—Jed Brewer, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selfish
Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In the 1988 film, Scrooge is represented by Frank Cross (Murray), a high-strung, selfish and arrogant TV executive living in Manhattan.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025
Jack is the selfish lone wolf who becomes part of a team in order to defeat Brass Body, a destructive force whose flesh can transform into metal (played by Dave Bautista).
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
What’s certain is that, in a world that is often selfish and transactional, generosity stands out.
—Jed Brewer, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selfish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selfish
Adjective
-
As of this week, thanks to the egocentric exertions of the current President and his obedient underlings and friends, the place has been renamed the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
20 Dec. 2025
-
As a chef’s kiss, Manning plays for Texas, a yearslong egocentric underachiever that plenty of college football fans love to hate.—
Blake Toppmeyer,
USA TODAY,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Former high-ranking employees have quit the sheriff’s office, often in public fashion, and accused him of being a vindictive and narcissistic boss.—
Ryan Oehrli,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Helm is nothing if not solipsistic, narcissistic even.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Your son appears to be self-centered and emotionally distanced from you and the family.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
22 Dec. 2025
-
Your son appears to be self-centered and emotionally distanced from you and the family.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Two Weeks Notice Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock star as charming and undeniably self-absorbed millionaire George Wade and his overworked, underappreciated, multi-tasking chief counsel, Lucy Kelson.—
Caitlin White,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Anyone who subscribes to that, as far as I’m concerned, was always self-absorbed and had no interest in the common good anyway.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Goods and services are traded for the self-interested betterment of all parties involved.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
28 Nov. 2025
-
These powers weren’t grabbed so much as they were pushed onto the court by a political system too polarized – and in some cases too self-interested – to act.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
25 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Other performances, like Lowden’s egotistical failson and Fearn’s twitchy brother, come off too broadly even for Brooks’s stylized tone.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
-
The man started saying that Sliwa was being egotistical.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Krakowski was immediately mad for the part of the egomaniacal actress Jenna Maroney.—
Keaton Bell,
Vogue,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Still, this latest entry isn’t quite as offensive as previous efforts, partly because director Ruben Fleischer brings slightly more visual punch to the action, and the classically anxious Eisenberg has settled in nicely into his role as the awkwardly egomaniacal Atlas.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Helm is nothing if not solipsistic, narcissistic even.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As with the works of that solipsistic filmmaker, plot is not a major element of Situations, the title of which proves accurate.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Selfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selfish. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share