as in selfness
excessive interest in oneself
the only reason for constantly ignoring everyone else's problems is selfishness
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 selfishness
The doctor further explained that the traits of a narcissist encompass low empathy, arrogance, entitlement, grandiosity and pathological selfishness.
—
Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Mulligan, who similarly usually gives off a warm presence onscreen, is icy and sharp here, her Lindsay stuck up and miserable in the life she's made for herself but completely trapped by her own ego and selfishness.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
And there is a selfishness in understanding that in your craft and your industry, this is a pinnacle.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
There are no casinos, no lotteries and no racetracks that allow bets, a prohibition rooted in the conservative ideals of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which views gambling as a vice that leads to selfishness and addiction.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfishness
Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Mulligan, who similarly usually gives off a warm presence onscreen, is icy and sharp here, her Lindsay stuck up and miserable in the life she's made for herself but completely trapped by her own ego and selfishness.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
And there is a selfishness in understanding that in your craft and your industry, this is a pinnacle.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
There are no casinos, no lotteries and no racetracks that allow bets, a prohibition rooted in the conservative ideals of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which views gambling as a vice that leads to selfishness and addiction.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfishness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selfishness
Noun
-
All to justify his vanity project.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
-
The director describes him less as a young actor searching for a performance than as someone instinctively in tune with the character’s vanity, insecurity and swagger.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
There was too much egoism politically for each country to be all together with a unique economy, language and president.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
McGuane also reminded me that Hemingway was, to put it politely, a complicated personality, a domineering figure prone to brawling, affairs, and cask-strength egoism.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
By catering to his ego, international leaders can persuade Washington to forget—or at least to ignore—past tensions.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
-
Out of this evolutionary necessity, new ways of leading are emerging based on the consciousness of a connected self, that both embraces the ego and puts it in service of a bigger picture, a higher calling.—
Ginny Whitelaw,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Selfishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selfishness. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
