narcissism
C1Formal, Academic, Clinical
Definition
Meaning
An excessive preoccupation with oneself, particularly one's physical appearance and perceived importance, often accompanied by a lack of empathy for others.
In psychology, a trait or personality disorder characterized by grandiosity, a constant need for admiration, and a sense of entitlement. In cultural contexts, it can refer to a broader societal trend towards self-absorption and individualism.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a negative, clinical, or critical term. While originally a psychiatric term, it is now widely used in everyday discourse, often loosely to describe selfish or vain behaviour.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in spelling or core meaning. The related adjective 'narcissistic' is universally used.
Connotations
Identical clinical and social connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English corpora, likely due to the influence of popular psychology discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
narcissism of [noun phrase: small differences, minor details]narcissism in [noun phrase: the workplace, modern society]a display of narcissisma trait of narcissismVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(suffer from) a bad case of narcissism”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used critically to describe a leadership style focused on the CEO's personal brand over company health.
Academic
A core concept in psychology (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) and social theory (e.g., analysis of 'the culture of narcissism').
Everyday
Used to describe someone perceived as excessively vain or self-involved.
Technical
In psychiatry, a diagnosable personality disorder with specific criteria in the DSM-5.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The article argued that social media encourages people to narcissise their everyday lives.
- He seemed to narcissise over every minor achievement.
American English
- The culture teaches us to narcissize our personal brand.
- She tends to narcissize about her role in the project's success.
adverb
British English
- He stared narcissistically at his reflection in the window.
- She spoke narcissistically about her own contributions for an hour.
American English
- He behaved narcissistically throughout the interview.
- The blog was written narcissistically, with no regard for the reader.
adjective
British English
- His narcissistic tendencies made teamwork impossible.
- She gave a narcissistic performance, ignoring her fellow actors.
American English
- The CEO's narcissistic personality was damaging morale.
- It was a narcissistic injury when his idea was rejected.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He looks in the mirror all the time. That's narcissism.
- Her constant need for compliments shows a lot of narcissism.
- Some people say social media increases narcissism in young people.
- The politician's speech was criticised for its blatant narcissism and lack of policy detail.
- Psychologists study the root causes of narcissism in childhood.
- The author posits that late-stage capitalism fosters a culture of narcissism, where communal values are supplanted by relentless self-promotion.
- His pathological narcissism rendered him incapable of maintaining genuine, empathetic relationships.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the Greek myth of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection (narcissism). The word sounds like 'narcosis' - being asleep to the needs of others because you're so focused on yourself.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE SELF IS A REFLECTION TO BE ADMIRED; SOCIAL INTERACTION IS A MIRROR.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- The direct translation 'нарциссизм' is correct but formal; the adjective 'нарциссический' is used in psychology, while 'самовлюблённый' is the common descriptive term.
- The Russian 'самолюбие' is weaker, closer to 'self-esteem' or 'pride', not pathological narcissism.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'narcisism' (missing one 's').
- Using it as a direct synonym for simple confidence or healthy self-esteem.
- Pronouncing it with the stress on the second syllable (narc-ISS-ism) is non-standard.
Practice
Quiz
In the phrase 'the narcissism of small differences', what does 'narcissism' most closely refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Selfishness is a specific behaviour (prioritizing oneself). Narcissism is a broader, deeper personality trait involving a grandiose self-image, need for admiration, and often a lack of empathy that manifests in consistently selfish behaviour.
In some psychoanalytic theories, a minimal amount of self-love is necessary for a cohesive self. However, in contemporary clinical and common usage, 'narcissism' almost always carries a negative connotation. Terms like 'self-esteem' or 'self-confidence' are used for positive self-regard.
Clinical diagnoses of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are more frequently given to men, but research on narcissistic traits in the general population shows a more complex picture, with men often scoring higher on aspects like entitlement and authority, and differences being generally small.
It derives from the Greek myth of Narcissus, a beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water and eventually died there, transformed into the narcissus flower. The term was adopted into psychology in the late 19th century.
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