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.
By the end, it’s hard not to feel for him even as you laugh at his self-absorption.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
"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
Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer were found guilty of, as the prosecutor put it, “selfishness, self-absorption, immaturity and greed.”
From New York Times • Apr. 6, 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
Joe breathed shallowly, afraid that any sound might drag her out of her self-absorption.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
