self-centered
Americanadjective
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concerned solely or chiefly with one's own interests, welfare, etc.; engrossed in self; selfish; egotistical.
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independent, self-sufficient.
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centered in oneself or itself.
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Archaic. fixed; unchanging.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-centered
First recorded in 1670–80
Explanation
A self-centered person is excessively concerned with himself and his own needs. He's selfish. You probably know some people who always talk about themselves, make every issue about themselves, and are generally all about "Me, me, me!" People like that are self-centered: as the word suggests, they are overly centered on themselves. Self-centered people tend to ignore the needs of others and only do what's best for them. You can also call them egocentric, egoistic, and egoistical. In the seventeenth century, however, self-centered meant "fixed or stationary."
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 also misses what Mr. Calder makes evident to the reader: that Chuck is a self-centered, smooth-talking empty shell who is going to string her along until the moment she demands an emotional investment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
That self-centered cluelessness ended up torpedoing Pratt’s best campaign moment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Of course, you probably don’t mean all boomers are self-centered.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 29, 2025
Bensimon ended Season 2 looking self-centered and detached, while Frankel was calm and collected.
From Salon ● May 20, 2025
People wanted to like him, they wanted to believe him, but he was undependable and self-centered at best, mischievous or evil at worst.
From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman
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.
