narcissistic

adjective

nar·​cis·​sis·​tic ˌnär-sə-ˈsi-stik 

: of, relating to, or characterized by narcissism: such as

a

: extremely self-centered with an exaggerated sense of self-importance : marked by or characteristic of excessive admiration of or infatuation with oneself

a narcissistic personality

He was a very narcissistic man, not too concerned with the world.

—Oliver Sacks

But when a mother's narcissistic needs are so great that she cannot relate to her child as he really is, she loves her child as a self-object—that is, as someone put on this earth to meet her needs.

—Sue Erikson Bloland

see also narcissistic personality disorder

b

: displaying or marked by excessive concern with one's own physical appearance

… she describes the bind created for women by the judgment that a woman preoccupied with her looks is narcissistic and a woman who is not is unfeminine.

—Carol Gilligan

Our narcissistic culture has turned us into a nation of body-image "junkies" using everything in our power to carve, reshape, remold, and recast our bodies' natural shapes and processes so that they are better fitted to our desires.

—Andrew Kimbrell

Synonyms

• egocentric
• egoistic
• egoistical
• egomaniacal
• egotistic
• egotistical
• 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
• selfish
• solipsistic

Examples of narcissistic in a Sentence

trying to raise the social consciousness of the normally narcissistic Hollywood community

Recent Examples on the Web

Some may have narcissistic tendencies, where putting others down gives them a sense of superiority. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Our study shows that narcissistic children often emerge as leaders in their classrooms. —Eddie Brummelman, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2025

The author of the novel that director Mary Harron adapted into the 2000 classic, Bret Easton Ellis, actually wove Cruise into the life of his violent, narcissistic protagonist Patrick Bateman. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

narciss(ism) + -istic

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing narcissistic

• narcissistic personality disorder

Rhymes for narcissistic

• agonistic
• altruistic
• animistic
• aphoristic
• atheistic
• cabalistic
• calvinistic
• chauvinistic
• dualistic
• egoistic
• egotistic
• eucharistic

Medical Definition

narcissistic

adjective

nar·​cis·​sis·​tic ˌnär-sə-ˈsis-tik 

: of, relating to, or characterized by narcissism or narcissistic personality disorder

narcissistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb