self-love
Americannoun
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the instinct by which one's actions are directed to the promotion of one's own welfare or well-being, especially an excessive regard for one's own advantage.
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conceit; vanity.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-love
First recorded in 1555–65
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.
The diet culture of the ’90s was never totally vanquished, and Ozempic has complicated narratives about body size, health, and self-love, to put it mildly.
From Slate ● Mar. 31, 2026
The self-love script took hold in part because it offered a comforting narrative.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026
For Collins, “Shirley Valentine” was more than just an ode to womanhood, self-love and self-discovery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025
It has also brought mental health issues into public conversation - RM of BTS, the globally renowned K-pop group known for songs promoting self-love, is among those who have shared the book online.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2025
“I fear, Octavian, you often do not account for self-interest. ’Tis only self-love and self-interest which actuates animals.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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.
