narcissism

noun

nar·​cis·​sism ˈnär-sə-ˌsi-zəm 

1

: egoism, egocentrism

… up until my late 30's I lived in a state of utterly monstrous narcissism and self-absorption …

—Frank Conroy

2

: narcissistic personality disorder

One of the premier diagnoses of our times, narcissism is a reflection not only of an apparent trend in mental illness but also of the strains and distortions in the lives of essentially healthy people.

—Robert Karen

3

: love of or sexual desire of one's own body

Synonyms

• egocentricity
• egocentrism
• egoism
• egomania
• egotism
• navel-gazing
• self-absorption
• self-centeredness
• self-concern
• self-interest
• self-involvement
• self-preoccupation
• self-regard
• selfishness
• selfness

Examples of narcissism in a Sentence

in his narcissism, he just assumed that everyone else wanted to hear the tiny details of his day

Recent Examples on the Web

In studies, for example, Russians have shown a correlation between high levels of collective narcissism (the idea that Russia is superior to other countries), collective resentment (the belief that Russians are denigrated by outsiders), and backing the war. —Peter Pomerantsev, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024

Doesn’t the story of a monstrous genius whose narcissism is rivaled only by his artistry all but demand a nod to one of the classics of the genre? —Greg Evans, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2024

However, too much narcissism, such as that in NPD or malignant narcissism, can lead to a lack of business success as it is associated with counterproductive work behaviors. —Dr. Jeanette Fielding, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024

Feldshuh’s Bina, in all her delusional narcissism, has an unlikely charisma. —Judy Berman, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

narcissus + -ism; (sense 2) in part after German Narcismus (now Narzismus)

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

narcissism

noun

nar·​cis·​sism ˈnär-sə-ˌsiz-əm 

: excessive love and admiration for oneself and especially one's own appearance

narcissist

-sist 

noun

narcissistic

ˌnär-sə-ˈsis-tik 

adjective

Medical Definition

narcissism

noun

nar·​cis·​sism ˈnär-sə-ˌsiz-əm 

1

: narcissistic personality disorder

2

: love of or sexual desire for one's own body

3

: the state or stage of development in psychoanalytic theory in which there is considerable erotic interest in one's own body and ego and which in abnormal forms persists through fixation or reappears through regression