Selfish Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Definition of selfish · 1 : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without ... Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks JoinMWU MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut selfish adjective SaveWord self·​ish |\ˈsel-fish \ Definitionofselfish 1 :concernedexcessivelyorexclusivelywithoneself:seekingorconcentratingonone'sownadvantage,pleasure,orwell-beingwithoutregardforothers 2 :arisingfromconcernwithone'sownwelfareoradvantageindisregardofothers aselfishact 3 :beinganactivelyreplicatingrepetitivesequenceofnucleicacidthatservesnoknownfunction selfishDNA also :beinggeneticmaterialsolelyconcernedwithitsownreplication selfishgenes Synonyms&Antonyms MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutselfish Synonyms&Antonymsforselfish Synonyms egocentric, egoistic (alsoegoistical), egomaniacal, egotistic (oregotistical), narcissistic, self-absorbed, self-centered, self-concerned, self-infatuated, self-interested, self-involved, self-loving, self-obsessed, self-oriented, self-preoccupied, self-regarding, self-seeking, self-serving, solipsistic Antonyms self-forgetful, self-forgetting, selfless, unselfish VisittheThesaurusforMore  ExamplesofselfishinaSentence She'sinterestedonlyinherownselfishconcerns. Iwishhe'dspendlesstimewithhisfriendsandmoretimewithme.AmIbeingselfish? RecentExamplesontheWeb Anotherexplanationmightbethatinromanticrelationships,itisexpectedforbothpartnerstobeselfish,tofocusontheirownneedsandfeelings. — AdamKirsch,TheNewRepublic,22Mar.2022 Oneadventurer’sselfishactmorethan50yearsagomightnotbearemphasizing—exceptthatTompkinslaterbecameafamousaltruistwhorenouncedthebusinessworldandmovedtoacabininPatagonia. — MichaelO’donnell,TheAtlantic,5Aug.2021 Suchcriticssawthisformofgriefasirresponsible,selfish,adiversionfromthepublicdutiesthatcommunitymembersoughttobefocusingon. — LeoKim,Wired,14Mar.2022 Thelittlegirlishandedovertoservantswhoareinstructedtokeepherquietandoutoftheway—anarrangementthatleavesherspoiled,selfish,andunloved. — SarahSchutte,NationalReview,13Mar.2022 Thejudgecalledthedefendantselfish,arrogantandnarcissisticduringthesentencing. — DanielKreps,RollingStone,10Mar.2022 AnyonewhohaswatchedthemforanextendedperiodoftimeknowsthatOregonStateissoft,selfish,andnotatallresilient. — JohnCanzano,oregonlive,3Feb.2022 Theabsenceofchildrenfromwomen’slivesistoooftenseenasalack;womenwhochoosenottohavechildrenareoftenconsideredselfish,brokenorattheveryleastmisguided. — LosAngelesTimes,31Dec.2021 ThatwouldbeEinbinder'sAvaDaniels,aselfish,entitled,self-sabotagingwomanwholostherTVdealaftermakinganoffensivejokeonTwitter. — ArsStaff,ArsTechnica,31Dec.2021 SeeMore Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'selfish.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. FirstKnownUseofselfish 1628,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1 LearnMoreAboutselfish Shareselfish PosttheDefinitionofselfishtoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofselfishonTwitter TimeTravelerforselfish Thefirstknownuseofselfishwas in1628 Seemorewordsfromthesameyear DictionaryEntriesNearselfish self-involvement selfish selfishly SeeMoreNearbyEntries  Statisticsforselfish LastUpdated 29Mar2022 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Selfish.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfish.Accessed18Apr.2022. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforselfish selfish adjective self·​ish |\ˈsel-fish \ KidsDefinitionofselfish :takingcareofonlyyourownneedsandfeelingswithoutthoughtforothers OtherWordsfromselfish selfishly adverb selfishness noun selfish adjective self·​ish |\ˈsel-fish \ Medical Definitionofselfish :beinganactivelyreplicatingrepetitivesequenceofnucleicacidthatservesnoknownfunction selfishDNA also :beinggeneticmaterialsolelyconcernedwithitsownreplication selfishgenes MorefromMerriam-Websteronselfish Nglish:TranslationofselfishforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofselfishforArabicSpeakers WORDOFTHEDAY elicit SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! TestYourVocabulary Eponyms:WordsNamedAfterPeople Whatisthebestdefinitionofboycott? torefuseparticipatein(something)asawayofprotesting todivideproportionately toprepareasmallmealforsustenance tomakelivelyorexcited Testyourknowledge-andmaybelearnsomethingalongtheway. 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