self-absorption
Americannoun
noun
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preoccupation with oneself to the exclusion of others or the outside world
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physics the process in which some of the radiation emitted by a material is absorbed by the material itself
Etymology
Origin of self-absorption
First recorded in 1860–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A slate of songs by Charli XCX captures Catherine’s tragic self-absorption without seeming jarringly modern.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026
"The self-absorption of the lovers, their descent into a destructive vortex, remains connected to the larger history of East Germany during this period, often meeting history at odd angles."
From BBC ● May 21, 2024
The interview went viral on Friday, prompting widespread criticism of Wenner and portraying him as embodying stereotypes about Baby Boomer self-absorption and entitlement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2023
As a result, her plaintive wooing merely heightens the self-absorption of her egotistical love object, Narcissus.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 8, 2023
He could be generous and caring to a fault, but he had a darker side as well, characterized by monomania, impatience, and unwavering self-absorption, qualities that seemed to intensify through his college years.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
