English Reference
Noun

selfishness

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈsɛɫfɪʃnəs/ UK /sˈɛlfɪʃnəs/ self·ish·ness UK spelling selfishnesses

n.the habit of thinking only about yourself and what you want. You show this when you do not care about the needs or feelings of other people.

n.the quality or state of being concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself. Refers to a lack of consideration for others regardless of their needs or interests.


SIMPLE

His selfishness made it hard for him to keep friends.

CONTEXTUAL

The team's failure was largely due to the selfishness of a few players who refused to pass the ball.

COMPLEX

Philosophers often debate whether true altruism exists or if every human action is ultimately rooted in some form of psychological selfishness.

Usage

Typically functions as an abstract noun and does not take a plural form.

In a team game, it was an act of selfishness but sometimes they are the most satisfying, and Manchester United celebrated the single-mindedness when the ball rippled the inside of the netting.

The Guardian· 6 Sept 2026

From selfish + -ness.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated