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

However, Walsh said far more men than women are diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, with up to 7 percent of men potentially having the disorder. —Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025

Our research focuses on children with above-average narcissism levels because narcissistic personality disorder is usually not formally diagnosed before adulthood. —Eddie Brummelman, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2025

Treatment for narcissistic personality disorder centers around talk therapy, also called psychotherapy. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019

Conversely, the self-serving bias may be more prevalent in people with a mental health disorder like schizophrenia or narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). —Sherri Gordon, Health, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for narcissistic personality disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

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