egocentrism
Britishnoun
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the condition or fact of being egocentric
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psychol a stage in a child's development characterized by lack of awareness that other people's points of view differ from his own
Explanation
If you care only about yourself, without a thought for anyone else, you've got a bad case of egocentrism. Egocentrism is a quality of being overly interested in oneself, at the expense of other people. Egocentrism is an extreme form of selfishness. Psychologists describe it as a state of being unable to see things from anyone's perspective except your own. While egocentrism is considered normal in very young children, it can be a real problem in fully grown adults who think the world revolves around them. If you find yourself convinced that everyone in the room is staring at the tiny blemish on your chin, you can reassure yourself that it's just your egocentrism talking.
Vocabulary lists containing egocentrism
"The Leap," Vocabulary from the short story
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Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 1
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Vocabulary from Readings 5, Unit 1
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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.
She gossips about other galaxies, teaches us about her past and imparts a primer on astrophysics, all the while relishing every opportunity to throw shade on humankind's egocentrism and closed-mindedness.
From Scientific American ● Aug. 5, 2022
Younger children, for instance, may assume the death of someone close to them was their fault because of the egocentrism of that age and magical thinking, which are common characteristics of that age group.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 13, 2021
He said as well as coronavirus, there was "the virus of self-centred, heedless egocentrism" and urged people to adopt "thoughtfulness for all".
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2020
And while this particular episode is Barris' way of exorcising his egocentrism, it also, perhaps unintentionally, speaks to the puzzle some critics – ok, me, I guess? – might be shaking around in their brains.
From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2020
There is egocentrism, the inability of children to imagine a simple scene, such as three toy mountains on a tabletop, from another person’s vantage point.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
