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

We Americans get slandered around the world as a bunch of fat, lazy, selfish slobs. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025

Listen to this article For every selfish motorist who blocks a fire hydrant. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 Mar. 2025

He isn’t allowed to become the play’s villain despite his selfish plan to sell the estate out from under his family. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025

So many of us are conditioned since childhood to believe that prioritizing ourselves is selfish, which compels us to ignore our inner voice. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for selfish

• unselfish

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