Synonyms

narcissist

American

[nahr-suh-sist] / ˈnɑr sə sɪst /

Also narcist

noun

a person who is overly self-involved, and often vain and selfish.
Psychiatry. a person who has narcissistic personality disorder.
Psychoanalysis. a person who experiences or exhibits narcissism, deriving erotic gratification from admiration of their own physical or mental attributes.

Etymology

Origin of narcissist

First recorded in 1915–20; narciss(ism) + -ist

Compare meaning

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

Explanation

The noun narcissist refers to someone intensely concerned with only his or her own self or interests and who seems to forget that others exist. The noun narcissist today means someone only concerned with his or her own interests or predicament and its origin is from Greek mythology. Narcissus was a hunter who was exceptionally beautiful and also just as proud of his looks, ignoring other people around him. He was punished by the gods by falling in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Not realizing it was himself he loved, he eventually died from unrequited love.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing narcissist

100 Words to Make You Sound Smart

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!

100 SAT Words Beginning with "N"

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!

Time Magazine's 2015 Person of the Year: Angela Merkel

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.

So everything he is doing now is about legacy, and with a malignant narcissist who knows that he may not be long for this earth, the danger that comes with those realizations is acute.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

I did start dating a guy who was a narcissist, and my world shifted a bit, which temporarily turned my priorities upside down.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

He later took his own, admitting: "I grabbed my own head, I'm a narcissist… well someone's got to love it!"

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025

What’s missing, crucially, is a reason for the audience to care about this narcissist, even though Colin Farrell employs every trick in his acting arsenal to win you over.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2025

Maybe I was a narcissist or something, but when I realized it there in that moment at Oranjee, it made me like him even more.

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

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