selfless
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of selfless
Compare meaning
How does selfless compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you're being selfless, you're thinking of other people before yourself. Selfless is the opposite of selfish. If you're selfless, you think less about your self, and more about others — you're generous and kind. Being selfless is similar to being altruistic — another word for giving to others without looking for personal gain. If you give time, money, or things to other people without expecting something in return, that's selfless. Most people would agree that the world would be a better place if there were more selfless behavior.
Vocabulary lists containing selfless
Giving Words
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!
'Tis The Season: Words For Giving
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!
You're Too Kind! Synonyms for "Generous"
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.
And the young, selfless team around him is putting the squeeze on opponents with ridiculous depth, much of it stockpiled via that trade.
From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026
Over three days of testimony last week, Musk portrayed himself as a selfless early supporter of OpenAI, saying he contributed $38 million between 2016 and 2020 before being sidelined.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
This "selfless" sharing, known as horizontal gene transfer, can rapidly spread useful traits including genes that confer resistance to antibiotic drugs used to treat infections.
From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2026
Anthropic and its chief executive, Dario Amodei, in some accounts, are selfless heroes, acting against the incentives that normally operate in business.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Rhiannon finds me like that, in the selfless reading space that the mind loans out.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
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.
