selflessness

[ self-lis-nis ]

noun

1. lack of preoccupation with one’s own interests, advancement, desires, etc., and attentiveness to those of others; unselfishness:

   Playing volleyball taught me the value of teamwork, discipline, and selflessness, which can all be applied in the classroom in helping others.

Word History and Origins

Origin of selflessness¹

selfless ( def ) + -ness ( def )

Example Sentences

I learned the virtues of compassion, patience, hard work, selflessness, dedication, gratefulness and passion towards one’s profession and family from my parents and people around me.

From Time

Let’s stop celebrating mothers for their selflessness or for always putting their children above their own needs and instead let them know they are not alone in holding the burden and that we recognize their strength, power and importance.

From Time

Today, once again, these heroes risked their lives to protect our Capitol and our Country, with the same extraordinary selflessness and spirit of service seen on January 6.

From TIme

Her selflessness and subsequent self-awareness clashed with her history-making moments.

From Essence.com

And, in many videos, glimmers of admirable selflessness shine through.

From Washington Post

Knausgaard has somehow pushed narcissism to such an extreme point that it takes on the appearance of total selflessness.

From The Daily Beast

They taught me selflessness, boldness, and investing in future leaders.

From The Daily Beast

And he lauded Giffords for teaching Americans “the true meaning of hope in the face of despair,” and selflessness.

From The Daily Beast

His final act of selflessness was to dive on top of his wife, sacrificing his life for hers.

From The Daily Beast

Their actions, their selflessness poses a challenge to each of us.

From The Daily Beast

My life work will be to drag him down from his pinnacle of selflessness!

From Project Gutenberg

How can a cautious, cunning, time-serving man of the world understand the selflessness of the Son of God?

From Project Gutenberg

In this man there was neither the enthusiastic patriotism of a Chauvelin, nor the ardent selflessness of a Danton.

From Project Gutenberg

Woman, by way of Motherhood, has endowed man with an ever fuller heritage of her attributes of selflessness and intuition.

From Project Gutenberg

Perhaps he was simply gaining time to suppress the emotions which the selflessness of the other had inspired.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• benevolence
• humanitarianism
• kindness