egocentric
Americanadjective
-
having or regarding the self or the individual as the center of all things.
an egocentric philosophy that ignores social causes.
-
having little or no regard for interests, beliefs, or attitudes other than one's own; self-centered.
an egocentric person; egocentric demands upon the time and patience of others.
- Synonyms:
- self-obsessed, self-absorbed
- Antonyms:
- unselfish, altruistic
noun
adjective
-
regarding everything only in relation to oneself; self-centred; selfish
-
philosophy pertaining to a theory in which everything is considered in relation to the self
an egocentric universe
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of egocentric
Explanation
If you are egocentric, the whole world centers on you and you don't pay much attention to other people. Are you even listening to me? Egocentric is a pretty recent word (from the early 20th century) and it quite literally means "self-centered." Does its recent invention mean that the human race is becoming more egocentric? If you're concerned about that possibility, maybe you're not as egocentric as I thought.
Vocabulary lists containing egocentric
Even More Negative Words to Describe a Person
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Food Product Design" by Eric Schlosser
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Egocentric, certainly, but perhaps Rivera was using his own very corporeal self to support the construction of a body politic, to incorporate the new Mexico.
From The Guardian • Jun. 29, 2013
Most Egocentric Song Choice: Comedian and host of The View Sherri Shepherd opted to perform her first foxtrot of the season to “Sherry Baby,” with partner Val Chmerkovskiy.
From Time • Mar. 20, 2012
Egocentric, arrogant and glamorously rich, he purrs out to his country estate in a brown Bentley convertible for impeccably served alfresco lunches between rehearsals.
From Time Magazine Archive
![]()
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.