selfishness

American

[sel-fish-nis] / ˈsɛl fɪʃ nɪs /

noun

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.

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

Defending his government's policy, Sanchez said the "world does not need more selfishness or more fear. What it needs are countries that show solidarity and want to step forward."

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

Cerf “wasn’t afraid to tell her that he considered her philosophy of rational selfishness ‘abhorrent,’” Ms. Feldman writes, “but at the same time, he promised that if RH published her, ‘nobody’ would be a censor.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

But we are not required to shrink into selfishness and judgment when faced with need.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2025

In the morning, his mother would venture downstairs to lecture him on the evils of selfishness and bad language.

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023