selfless
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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
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'Tis The Season: Words For Giving
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You're Too Kind! Synonyms for "Generous"
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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.
“When it comes to keeping the lineage of jazz in L.A. alive, there have been people who were selfless and sacrificed a lot,” Porter told The Times in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
He probably won't see any minutes, but he'll be good around the place; selfless and positive.
From BBC • May 19, 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
And here I was now, twenty-nine years old, sitting in the very same apartment where I'd watched all that TV and consumed all those meals dished up by the patient and selfless Marian Robinson.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
