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
Beyond the lifeboat of major film festivals, which still assist a handful of buzzy international and independent films in their treacherous journey to release, such entities as the self-congratulatory, navel-gazing Oscars have seemingly abandoned the inclusion of riskier, daring films.
—
Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
The results of this year’s elections could result in a prolonged period of French and German navel-gazing.
—Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 11 June 2024
Ortberg urged staff to focus on beating its French planemaker competitor Airbus instead of navel-gazing at its own issues.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
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
Plenty of people saw these films, and their teeth were set on edge by the cultural homogeneity, the navel-gazing conversations, the unremarkable visual palate, or the nonchalant performances contained therein.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2024
Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024
The results of this year’s elections could result in a prolonged period of French and German navel-gazing.
—Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 11 June 2024
Ortberg urged staff to focus on beating its French planemaker competitor Airbus instead of navel-gazing at its own issues.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
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
Plenty of people saw these films, and their teeth were set on edge by the cultural homogeneity, the navel-gazing conversations, the unremarkable visual palate, or the nonchalant performances contained therein.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for navel-gazing
Noun
-
Less selfishness and more of a consideration for the next generations of human beings and other beings (animals and environment) that will inherit our mistakes.—
Laurel Dalrymple,
NPR,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Catherine’s major personality traits are selfishness and a mild yet persistent case of trichophagia.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
18 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Sound design includes a girl power soundtrack credited to Meltzer and associate director Bailey Hacker, set design by Michael McKeever puts the focal point on large portraits of past presidents and a change of set a couple of times moves the action to a vanity in the office’s ladies’ bathroom.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
15 Jan. 2025
-
Naturally, the principal bedroom has massive side-by-side closets and its own ensuite bath, complete with marble flooring, green ceramic tile walls, double vanities, and a glass shower.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But the moon landing did nothing to diminish injustice, war, poverty, bigotry, narcissism or philosophical emptiness, the scourges of mankind.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Jan. 2025
-
Personality Disorders: Traits like narcissism can exacerbate manipulative behaviors that have always been present.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Over the past fifty years, the job of Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, has been to make the stars look good, and to corral the egos and talents on his staff in order to get the program on the air, live.—
Susan Morrison,
The New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2025
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Meghan McCain slams Meghan Markle's new 'out of touch' TV show: 'Do something to help people instead of your ego' Production delays in an industry still recovering from the 2023 SAG-WGA strikes are only the tip of the iceberg.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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But that feckless self-absorption is rerouted, if not extinguished, by a chance sighting of local resident Charlotte (Alison Pill).—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Too often, his method isn’t nearly as subtle or searching, and this, combined with a reflexive self-involvement, tends to rob The Message of truly resonant insight in both Senegal and Israel.—
Daniel Bergner,
The Atlantic,
24 Sep. 2024
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The characters’ identities are just a medium for exposing their self-involvement.—
TIME,
TIME,
2 Feb. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near navel-gazing
Cite this Entry
“Navel-gazing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/navel-gazing. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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