narcissistic personality disorder

noun

: a personality disorder characterized especially by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, persistent need for admiration, lack of empathy for others, excessive pride in achievements, and snobbish, disdainful, or patronizing attitudes

At its most extreme, snobbery can be a symptom of narcissistic personality disorder, a condition marked by grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a preoccupation with power and prestige.

—Adelle Waldman

Those with narcissistic personality disorder exaggerate their own importance, aided by success fantasies.

—David G. Myers

Examples of narcissistic personality disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So, a narcissistic parent is at its core someone who has a narcissistic personality disorder or is affected by narcissism, and in turn projects that onto their children, because they are threatened by their children's growing independence. —Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024

For example, people who have bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, delusional disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, traumatic brain injury, or substance use disorder may experience delusions of grandeur.1 What triggers grandiosity? —Sherri Gordon, Health, 17 Oct. 2024

The overall prevalence of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) has a rate of 6.2% among the general population, with rates higher for men (7.7%) than for women (4.8%) according to a survey that took place in 2004-2005. —Dr. Jeanette Fielding, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024

Toward Treatments To date, there have been no randomized clinical trials for treatments specific for narcissistic personality disorder. —Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

narcissistic personality disorder

noun

: a personality disorder characterized especially by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, persistent need for admiration, lack of empathy for others, excessive pride in achievements, and snobbish, disdainful, or patronizing attitudes