selfish

adjective

self·​ish ˈsel-fish 

1

: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others

2

: arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others

a selfish act

3

: being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function

selfish DNA

also : being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication

selfish genes

Synonyms

• egocentric
• egoistic
• egoistical
• egomaniacal
• egotistic
• egotistical
• 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

Examples of selfish in a Sentence

She's interested only in her own selfish concerns.

I wish he'd spend less time with his friends and more time with me. Am I being selfish?

Recent Examples on the Web

Warm feelings fueled by the wonder and kindness of the season, inspired by the transformative and timeless experiences of Ebenezer Scrooge who changed from a selfish, penny-pinching grouch, into a generous, happy and altruistic person. —Eric C. Shuster, Austin American-Statesman, 6 Dec. 2024

The high price for Yoon’s selfish martial law debacle will be paid over time, in installments, by South Korea’s 51 million people. —William Pesek, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

In a cruel world where some are willing to resort to unscrupulous ways to achieve their selfish ambitions, Ukon’s quest to protect his people despite immense persecution for his beliefs left an indelible mark on me. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024

By putting his selfish aspirations above his responsibilities, Biden paved Trump’s path back to Washington. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

selfish

adjective

self·​ish ˈsel-fish 

: taking care of oneself without thought for others

selfishly adverb

selfishness noun

Medical Definition

selfish

adjective

self·​ish ˈsel-fish 

: being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function

selfish DNA

also : being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication

selfish genes