selfishness

American  

[sel-fish-nis] / ˈsɛl fɪʃ nɪs /

noun

1. the quality or state of caring only for oneself or one’s own interests.

   The author rants at length about the selfishness and general disregard for others that he sees at the root of modern society.

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Etymology

Origin of selfishness

selfish ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Compare meaning

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

• self-interest vs. selfishness

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

selfishness

Until that inevitable conclusion, I’ll be rooting for Max Cady’s campaign against the Bowdens’ vortex of selfishness, which is entirely OK to do.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

Or was his quest for power rooted in sheer petty selfishness?

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

"This is a spiritual battle. Between selfishness and service. Between greed and greatness," he said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026

She argued that "one person's phone going off shatters that for everybody" and so disrupting the experience is "an act of extreme selfishness".

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

“How terrible for her! But—yes. You’d have to live with that selfishness afterward, if you couldn’t make yourself do it. Yes, I’m dead afraid of that.”

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• greed
• self-indulgence