Selfishness

/ˈsɛl.fɪʃ.nəs/

Synonyms for "selfishness" (48 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (10)

Adjective(1 words)
bad intention
Noun(2 words)
bogartiancharacter flaw

Strong matches (14)

Noun(6 words)
Adjective(1 words)
least communal attitude
Adverb(1 words)
less communal attitudes

Related words (24)

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: autism, autotheism, avarice, bad intention, bogartian.
  • Sentence evidence is available for selfishness, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "selfishness".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "selfishness"

Keep "selfishness" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "selfishness" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "selfishness", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "selfishness" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

6 relation types

More general

7 entries
behaviorcharacter traitmoral behaviormoral conceptpersonality traitsocial behaviorstinginess

More specific

6 entries
hoardingrefusal to shareself-absorptionstinginesstaking more than sharevice

Collocations

6 entries
act of selfishnessexhibit selfishnesshabit of selfishnessperceived selfishnessselfishness and generosityselfishness in group work

Inflections

1 entries

Derivations

2 entries

Antonyms

1 entries

Sample sentences

12 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

I'm annoyed at your selfishness.

Source: tatoeba (17329)

Your selfishness will lose you your friends.

Source: tatoeba (17338)

In the old days people valued selflessness. But this generation seems to make a virtue out of selfishness.

Source: tatoeba (239574)

It is because of his selfishness that no one wants to associate with him.

Source: tatoeba (276521)

Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "selfishness"?

Closest matches include autism, autotheism, avarice, bad intention, bogartian.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "selfishness"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "selfishness"