selfish

American  

[sel-fish] / ˈsɛl fɪʃ /

adjective

1. devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.

   Synonyms:

   stingy, parsimonious, illiberal, egoistic, self-seeking, self-interested

2. characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself.

   selfish motives.

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selfish British  

/ ˈsɛlfɪʃ /

adjective

1. chiefly concerned with one's own interest, advantage, etc, esp to the total exclusion of the interests of others

2. relating to or characterized by self-interest

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Other Word Forms

• selfishly adverb
• selfishness noun

Etymology

Origin of selfish

First recorded in 1630–40; self + -ish ¹

Compare meaning

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

• selfish vs. selfless
• selfish vs. self-seeking
• narcissist vs. selfish

Example Sentences

Salah possessed the selfish, ruthless streak that is common among all the greats, but the assists figure alone demonstrates he was also a team contributor.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

There’s not much comic zing in the idea that a handful of selfish families rule the world.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

It’s true that the American cost of living is getting worse — so much for “affordability”! — and it’s human nature to focus on what’s right in front of us, selfish as that may be.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

For those people that do cover up their dog poo—I believe that’s just anti-social, selfish behavior, and I don’t know how to enforce picking up after dogs besides reporting someone’s name.

From Slate • Feb. 24, 2026

“I know you want to keep me around so you can keep selling my mushrooms. But you listen to me, you selfish rodent, this is a matter of life and death!”

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• egotistical
• greedy
• narcissistic
• self-centered