selfish

[ sel-fish ]

adjective

1. devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.

   Synonyms: self-interested, stingy, parsimonious, illiberal, egoistic, self-seeking

2. characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself:

   selfish motives.

selfish

/ ˈsɛlfɪʃ /

adjective

1. chiefly concerned with one's own interest, advantage, etc, esp to the total exclusion of the interests of others
2. relating to or characterized by self-interest

Derived Forms

• ˈselfishness, noun
• ˈselfishly, adverb

Other Words From

• self·ish·ly adverb
• self·ish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of selfish¹

First recorded in 1630–40; self + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

“I know it sounds selfish, and God knows I would rather have both of them, but if I had to choose,” Fails said, “I would have chosen my daughter.”

From Salon

By the time Logan has served his sentence he will still be able to start a family and enjoy his life, everything that Holly can't do because of his mindless, selfish actions.

From BBC

And for all we know, his sloppy, selfish handling of sensitive information about national security may have put U.S. assets at grave risk.

From Los Angeles Times

She doubled down on casting Trump as a selfish tyrant who would take down anybody who gets in his way, calling the former president “unstable, obsessed with revenge and out for unchecked power.”

From Salon

But he says people back in Vietnam are hard to dissuade, suspecting those trying to warn against travelling to Europe are “being selfish and trying to keep the job opportunities for themselves”.

From BBC

Related Words

• egotistical
• greedy
• narcissistic
• self-centered