selfless

[ self-lis ]

adjective

1. having little or no concern for oneself, especially with regard to fame, position, money, etc.; unselfish.

selfless

/ ˈsɛlflɪs /

adjective

1. having little concern for one's own interests

Derived Forms

• ˈselflessness, noun
• ˈselflessly, adverb

Other Words From

• self·less·ly adverb
• self·less·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of selfless¹

First recorded in 1815–25; self + -less

Example Sentences

Not civic or selfless, but corrosive, destructive and illegal.

From Washington Post

A “good” coach is selfless as a leader and puts the needs of others ahead of his own interests, while an “evil” coach is willing to actively harm others to get what he wants.

From FiveThirtyEight

He represents the selfless service so many of our armed service members embody, and it’s one of the many reasons he’s put himself in a position to win on Election Day.

From Washington Post

The selfless civic engagement we see this season is to be applauded, as fortifying democracy becomes the business of American business.

From Fortune

Officer Leath will be deeply missed for how selfless and caring she was, and Mayor Joe Hogsett ordered the city’s flags to be flown at half-staff in her honor.

From No Straight News

Yet Lohse is confident that the reader will take his actions as the fruits of selfless moral courage.

From The Daily Beast

“These medical workers are amazing, such selfless people,” he says.

From The Daily Beast

We celebrate military heroes and selfless individuals who sacrifice their own lives for the good of others.

From The Daily Beast

In fact, our devotion to those ideals has only been strengthened by the selfless heroism we have seen.

From The Daily Beast

The letter closes with noble words of faith and hope from the hot zone where screw-ups are met each day with selfless courage.

From The Daily Beast

He should have that oil of joy for his work, for his high, selfless purposes.

From Project Gutenberg

She appears as utterly selfless, as having devoted herself to the will of God as He shall manifest that will.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus our aims will have been pure and selfless; each one of us here will have risked all for the sake of an unknown.

From Project Gutenberg

There is in every country a number of people who are selfless followers of liberty and who desire to see every country free.

From Project Gutenberg

With my greater powers, poured through me for selfless ends by the God of All, I could use force and render him harmless.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• altruistic
• charitable
• generous
• humanitarian
• loving
• magnanimous
• noble
• self-effacing