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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Betts credited the team’s selflessness, how players sacrificed for one another, for the good of the team.
—
Tim Rohan, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
There’s far more to love — vulnerability, courage, selflessness — just as there’s far more to the Dead.
—Colin Fleming, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
Gray’s selflessness and willingness to play wherever his manager needs him are admirable but the long-term effects of this on his development need to be considered.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
With acts of courage, themes of selflessness, and standing in the gap for others, this movie is a challenging and beautiful watch for the entire family.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
The most agonizing and gripping sections of the book for me are the poet’s raw observations about where selflessness can lead you (as in Kimon’s exploitation by his culture, and younger writers) and how self-interest can be a kind of armor.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
There’s an obvious selflessness with Lehkonen that endears him to teammates and fans alike.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
Rob Kos, a special education teacher at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, was anonymously nominated for a LifeChanger of the Year award, citing his selflessness and dedication to helping struggling students.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, observed with fasting, prayer and selflessness.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 2026
Tim Rohan, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
There’s far more to love — vulnerability, courage, selflessness — just as there’s far more to the Dead.
—Colin Fleming, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
Gray’s selflessness and willingness to play wherever his manager needs him are admirable but the long-term effects of this on his development need to be considered.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
With acts of courage, themes of selflessness, and standing in the gap for others, this movie is a challenging and beautiful watch for the entire family.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
The most agonizing and gripping sections of the book for me are the poet’s raw observations about where selflessness can lead you (as in Kimon’s exploitation by his culture, and younger writers) and how self-interest can be a kind of armor.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
There’s an obvious selflessness with Lehkonen that endears him to teammates and fans alike.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
Rob Kos, a special education teacher at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, was anonymously nominated for a LifeChanger of the Year award, citing his selflessness and dedication to helping struggling students.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, observed with fasting, prayer and selflessness.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selflessness
Noun
-
Creative self-expression and generosity of spirit are themes as the moon harmonizes with Jupiter!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
His generosity was shown on ABC 7 Chicago this past December.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Share the load with kindness, and keep promises realistic so trust feels strong.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Emma’s kindness toward him leaves Dana beaming, a mentor-mentee relationship that is often reserved for Robby and his residents.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The fifth installment of Global Citizen NOW, a gathering of leaders hailing from government, policy, advocacy, business, entertainment and philanthropy, is set to take place at New York’s Spring Studios on May 14.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Finding viable substitutes to the strait will be front of mind for future investors, the UAE’s special envoy for business and philanthropy argued in the Financial Times.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There should be no unselfishness.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
-
But what gets me most excited is the loving family experiences, the relationships with neighbors and friends, the pride in community accomplishments, the lives touched by unselfishness.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The company accepted charitable grants, including thirty million dollars from what was then called Open Philanthropy, a hub of the effective-altruism movement whose commitments included supporting the distribution of mosquito nets to the global poor.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Biblical scholar Bart Ehrman contends that our modern sense of altruism can be traced back to the radical shift in ethical thinking sparked by Jesus' teachings.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Selflessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selflessness. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
