selfishness

American  

[sel-fish-nis] / ˈsɛl fɪʃ nɪs /

noun

1. the quality or state of caring only for oneself or one’s own interests.

   The author rants at length about the selfishness and general disregard for others that he sees at the root of modern society.

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Etymology

Origin of selfishness

selfish ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does selfishness compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• self-interest vs. selfishness

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

selfishness

Until that inevitable conclusion, I’ll be rooting for Max Cady’s campaign against the Bowdens’ vortex of selfishness, which is entirely OK to do.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

Or was his quest for power rooted in sheer petty selfishness?

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

She argued that "one person's phone going off shatters that for everybody" and so disrupting the experience is "an act of extreme selfishness".

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

Ben manages to turn this mild inquiry into a long disquisition on her selfishness and disdain for his work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026

I want you to know, at least, that it’s not out of selfishness that I am leaving, how can I explain that?

From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer

Related Words

• greed
• self-indulgence