selflessness

noun

as in generosity
a tendency to regard the well-being of others as more important than one's own well-being She was widely admired for her selflessness and dedication to the cause.

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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 selflessness We're taught that love is mostly a matter of selflessness, and that the best partners are the ones who give the most, defer the most and ask for the least. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 There has been an outpouring of support on social media for those who stopped to help, heralding their bravery and selflessness. — ABC News, 18 June 2026 Her leadership, selflessness and competitiveness fit in with the culture being crafted in the Bay. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 2 July 2026 In Venezuela, this spirit of selflessness and volunteerism can help rebuild community and physical structures. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2026 These firefighters embodied the courage, professionalism and selflessness that define the wildland fire service. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 29 June 2026 These firefighters embodied the courage, professionalism, and selflessness that define the wildland fire service. — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 29 June 2026 Both required enormous amounts of selflessness, stamina, plasticity, courage, and improvisation. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 The CalSTRS attorney’s actions showed courage and selflessness in the face of uncertainty and potential danger, Maduros said. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selflessness
  1. generosity
  2. kindness
  3. philanthropy
  4. unselfishness
  5. altruism
Noun
  • Research published by the Natural Hazards Center found that donors may be motivated by generosity, a desire to feel directly connected to survivors or an opportunity to clear unwanted items from their homes.
    — Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • To be opening the show on Dolly’s 81st birthday is not only a celebration of a milestone, but of a life shaped by generosity, courage, and purpose that, in this moment, feels not only uplifting and inspiring, but essential.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 July 2026
Definition of generosity
Noun
  • All of us are invited to choose to become better human beings and to show up at work and in the world with increasing love, kindness, courage and forgiveness.
    — Mikhail Shneyder, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • That instinct to lean into life with curiosity, optimism, and kindness is, perhaps, America's greatest attraction.
    — Divia Thani, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of kindness
Noun
  • That opens a door for city governments, philanthropies, employers and civic groups to supplement accounts for children in low-income communities.
    — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • These kinds of parks require complex financing from different sources, including philanthropy, federal dollars and local sources, Daniel Church, a Sasaki official who worked on the plan, said Tuesday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 July 2026
Definition of philanthropy
Noun
  • Lendeborg’s passing ability and unselfishness will also endear him to Steve Kerr, while his ability to cover ground in transition and run the court should fit well.
    — Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • More than any of them, Hart elevated unselfishness to an art form.
    — Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 20 June 2026
Definition of unselfishness
Noun
  • This is a book of profound intellectual altruism and moral urgency that insists on summoning courage despite (or because of) societal and political cleavage.
    — Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
  • Musk did push for structures that would have given him control, and Altman and Brockman became extraordinarily wealthy from an organization built around the language of altruism.
    — Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Definition of altruism

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Cite this Entry

“Selflessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selflessness. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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