as in selfness
excessive interest in oneself
a singer-songwriter whose compositions are too often exercises in self-important navel-gazing
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Recent Examples of navel-gazing
In the end, this leads to a novel that might be Murakami’s most navel-gazing work, and one that has the unmistakable feel of a coda.
—
Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
If the idea of a deep dive into the pop-culture Zeitgeist of Obama’s presidency feels like an exhausting amount of navel-gazing, well, nothing could be more true to the spirit of the time.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2024
That deserves far more digital ink to be spilled than the usual navel-gazing about how iPhones are boring.
—Steven Aquino, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
As for the airport tray aesthetic, while people might be getting het up at the idea of Gen Z holding up the line for some navel-gazing, the US Transport Security Administration is sanguine about the risk.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for navel-gazing
Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
If the idea of a deep dive into the pop-culture Zeitgeist of Obama’s presidency feels like an exhausting amount of navel-gazing, well, nothing could be more true to the spirit of the time.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2024
That deserves far more digital ink to be spilled than the usual navel-gazing about how iPhones are boring.
—Steven Aquino, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
As for the airport tray aesthetic, while people might be getting het up at the idea of Gen Z holding up the line for some navel-gazing, the US Transport Security Administration is sanguine about the risk.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for navel-gazing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for navel-gazing
Noun
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The film’s underlying suggestion that spies are just as susceptible to selfishness, prone to mistakes, and likely to lie as anyone lines up nicely with some of the revelations brought to light during the George W. Bush years, and little that’s happened since has made the movie seem less insightful.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
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His touring feels like a shield against that selfishness, an investment in a connection with his fellow Americans.—
Ismail Muhammad,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Although technology is a ubiquitous part of this production, the piece has practically nothing to say about it, other than acknowledging its mere existence — technology is related to vanity, and a front-facing selfie camera is like a mirror.—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
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That has real implications for brand deals and CPM negotiations — but risks creating a new layer of noise and vanity metrics in the creator economy.—
Ian Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Less affable than in the previous season, King Henry’s narcissism and inability to face his decline are placed front and center.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2025
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Dark Empath Picture a leader exhibiting equal parts narcissism, sociopathy, and Machiavellianism.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Managing egos is unavoidable, but having to manage someone’s ego right from the start is not a positive indicator of things to come.—
Abdo Riani,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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But how did egos not get in the way, especially after the seasons Prince and Conner had in 2023?—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In the view of Georgie’s daughter, Suke Wolton, who teaches politics at Oxford, her late mother found Foster’s self-absorption a little hard to take.—
Ian Parker,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
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But Headland’s play distinguishes itself from the others by investigating these confrontations alongside pride: How does this sin, defined by blinding self-absorption and lack of humility, distort the Dahls’ love?—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
But there’s no monopoly on self-involvement, in my experience.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2025
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At the far opposite end of the adulthood spectrum is Jeff (Alex Wolff), a floppy mess of romantic misadventures and extravagant self-involvement and possibly the world’s most distracted producer.—
Sheri Linden,
The Hollywood Reporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Navel-gazing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/navel-gazing. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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