selfishness

American

[sel-fish-nis] / ˈsɛl fɪʃ nɪs /

noun

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.

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Our selfishness, she continues, is the reason capitalism works.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 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

She’s forced out of her inherent selfishness by love.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2025

I’m asking you to be distracted from that so I can consolidate my power without you complaining—so that you think I’m doing it in service to you when, actually, I’m doing it in selfishness.

From Slate • Jul. 28, 2025

She should have said the selfishness had liberated her.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023