selfishness
B2neutral (can be used in formal, academic, and informal contexts, but often carries a negative judgment)
Definition
Meaning
The quality of caring only about your own needs and desires, without regard for others.
The state or principle of prioritizing one's own welfare, advantage, or interests at the potential expense of others. It is often associated with a lack of generosity, empathy, or consideration.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Denotes a character trait or a specific act. The concept is central to ethical and philosophical discussions about altruism vs. egoism. While inherently negative, it can be used in neutral analytical contexts (e.g., in economics or evolutionary biology).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or semantic differences. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent with regional norms.
Connotations
Identical negative moral judgment in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both corpora.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + selfishness (e.g., display, show, demonstrate, overcome)selfishness + [preposition] + [noun] (e.g., selfishness of his actions, selfishness towards others)[adjective] + selfishness (e.g., pure, blatant)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly with the noun 'selfishness'. Related idiom: 'Look out for number one' (philosophy of selfishness).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used critically to describe corporate culture or decision-making that harms stakeholders for short-term gain (e.g., 'The CEO's selfishness led to a toxic work environment.').
Academic
Used in ethics, psychology, sociology, and economics to discuss human motivation, game theory (the 'prisoner's dilemma'), and critiques of rational egoism.
Everyday
Common in personal criticism and discussions of relationships, parenting, or social behaviour (e.g., 'I was hurt by his selfishness.').
Technical
In psychology, may be discussed as a trait within personality models or as a factor in interpersonal conflicts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- He acted selfishly, ignoring his colleagues' deadlines.
American English
- She selfishly hoarded all the supplies for herself.
adjective
British English
- His behaviour was incredibly selfish.
- It was a selfish decision to take the last biscuit.
American English
- That was a selfish move, not passing the ball.
- She's being selfish about the vacation plans.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Not sharing your toys is selfishness.
- Her selfishness made her friend sad.
- I can't stand his selfishness; he never thinks about anyone else.
- Their selfishness ruined the holiday for everyone.
- The politician's selfishness ultimately led to his downfall, as voters lost trust.
- Overcoming innate selfishness is a key theme in many philosophical and religious teachings.
- The novel explores the corrosive effects of selfishness on familial bonds and social cohesion.
- Critics argue that the economic model promotes a culture of short-term selfishness over long-term collective benefit.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SHELF full of only HIS things. SELF-ish-ness is like keeping everything on your own shelf, not sharing.
Conceptual Metaphor
SELFISHNESS IS A BLINDER (prevents seeing others' needs). SELFISHNESS IS A CONTAINER (filled with only the self).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'эгоизм' as it is a higher-register, philosophical term in Russian. 'Selfishness' is more everyday and moralistic. For the common negative trait, 'selfishness' is more accurate than 'egoism' in English.
- Do not confuse with 'selfness' or 'self-esteem'. It is purely negative.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'selfishnes' (dropping the second 's').
- Incorrect pluralisation (*'selfishnesses' is very rare).
- Using it as an adjective (*'a selfishness act' instead of 'a selfish act').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the closest antonym for 'selfishness' in a moral context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In everyday moral language, yes, it carries a negative judgment. However, in fields like evolutionary biology or certain economic theories, 'self-interest' (a related but more neutral term) is analysed as a fundamental driver of behaviour without the same moral stigma.
'Selfishness' is the common, negatively charged word for the character trait or specific acts. 'Egoism' is a more formal, philosophical term referring to the ethical theory that self-interest is the foundation of morality (ethical egoism) or a descriptive term for being self-centred.
Yes, it is often used metaphorically to criticise the perceived motives or culture of companies, governments, or nations (e.g., 'the selfishness of corporate giants').
It is an uncountable noun. You do not say 'a selfishness' or use a plural form in normal contexts. Use it with verbs like 'show', 'demonstrate', 'overcome' or adjectives like 'pure', 'blatant' (e.g., 'He showed great selfishness').
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