How to use selfish in a sentence

40 example sentences · adjective

Selfish means holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making. Example: ““We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit.”

Examples of selfish by meaning

adjectiveHolding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.

“We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit.1997, John Peniel, chapter 10, in The Children Of The Law Of One & The Lost Teachings Of Atlantis, page 127

adjectiveHaving excessive or exclusive regard and concern for one's own well-being, profit or pleasure, with little or no...

This selfish mindset is driving up housing prices, and making our state less affordable."2023 March 1, Aaron Kliegman, “Newsom declares war on environmentalists seeking to halt construction project”, in Fox News, archived from...

adjectiveOf video game characters: relying on their own actions and capabilities to be effective in the game, rather than on...

With that said, there is a perk to Xiao being a selfish DPS.2021 February 23, Sid Natividad, “Genshin Impact: 5 Ways Xiao Is The Best DPS (And 5 Ways It's Still Diluc)”, in TheGamer, archived from...

adjectiveRelated to or equivalent to a selfish gene; best understood as existing to preserve and replicate itself in competition...

Discoveries of selfish genetic elements often follow from the emergence of a selfish phenotype either in a cross between members of closely related species, or in crosses involving individuals from different isolated populations within a species.2005, N.S. Sharma, Molecular Structure Of Genes And Chromosomes, Mittal Publications, →ISBN, page 215
Through this hypothesized mechanism, a selfish virus would reduce the probability that other co-infecting genotypes contribute the expected share of their genes to the progeny.2005 August 4, Robert Desharnais, Population Dynamics and Laboratory Ecology, Elsevier, →ISBN, page 321
The "selfish meme" concept does not, of course, ascribe any consciousness or motivation to the meme; it simply means we can understand better by looking at evolution from the meme's point of view.2011 February 15, Richard Brodie, Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme, Hay House, Inc, →ISBN, page 68

More sentences with selfish

Maybe you think this is selfish, maybe you think it is virtue-signally.2021 October 14, Lucy Mangan, “Friday, 8 December”, in Are We Having Fun Yet?, London: Souvenir Press, →ISBN. From the entry virtue-signally
Foot voting is an inherently selfish individual move; it is not intended to serve the body politic.2016, Ronald Nikles (30 November 2016), Sorry, Jews—voting with your feet is not an option in the age of Trump, Scribe, Forward (retrieved…. From the entry foot voting
The selfist uses himself to achieve his goals, whereas the selfish uses others to achieve his goals.2013, KRS-One, The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument. From the entry selfist
There is no one as conceited, as lecturesome, as selfish, as mad about the theater as you.2010, J. Thomas Rimer, Van C. Gessel, The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature. From the entry lecturesome
He said that, unfortunately, the mullahcracy is politicising religion to serve their selfish ends.2009 October 21, “‘Govt-mullah axis leading to anarchy’”, in Daily Times. From the entry mullahcracy
The krogan live with an attitude of "kill, pillage, and be selfish, for tomorrow we die."2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Krogan: Culture Codex entry. From the entry future
You can see a father's selfish genes at work in baby fat.2006 Nov, Gretchen Reynolds, “Anf the Heavyweight Title Goes to...”, in Women's Health, page 127. From the entry baby fat
We, alone on earth, can rebel against the tyranny of the selfish replicators.1976, Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene. From the entry replicator
Erotic love is selfish love, philiac love is a mutual giving that ceases when mutuality ceases.1971, James L. Malfetti, Elizabeth M. Eidlitz, Perspectives on Sexuality: A Literary Collection, →ISBN, page 328. From the entry philiac
She advocates radical solitude: “Cut yourself off.” People go wild for the excuse to be selfish in the name of self-care.2023 April 30, Claire Luchette, “CHRYSALIS By Anna Metcalfe”, in New York Times Book Review, page 22. From the entry alonement
“Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada,” Mr.2020 September 14, Annie Karni, “Brazenly ignoring restrictions, Trump held a big indoor rally in Nevada.”, in The New York Times. From the entry Nevadan
If we accept a selfish gospel then we have no great motivation to engage with a discipled, sacrificial lifestyle.2017, Freddie Pimm, The Selfish Gospel: Be Transformed by Giving It All. From the entry discipled
They play whatever role meets their own selfish needs.2013, Stan Poel, chapter 3, in Of Souls and Patriots, Bloomington, Ind.: WestBow Press, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 34. From the entry snooty
Naylonfred had spoiled them rotten, making them selfish and demanding.2013, Jack Camarda, Corruptus Politicus, →ISBN. From the entry spoil someone rotten
“No one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gain,” Mr.2013 April 7, Jane Perlez, Choe Sang-Hun, “China Hints at Limits to North Korea Actions”, in New York Times, archived from the original on…. From the entry Boao
They teach that everyone is a separate entity, and you should look out for number one, creating a selfish meism society.2011, Konrad McKane, Alkaya: The Legend of Empyro, page 14. From the entry meism
Romantic love is not selfless but selfish.2009, Alexander-Stamatios G. Antoniou, Handbook of Managerial Behavior and Occupational Health, page 186. From the entry one-way street
Who can fault Ralph Waldo Emerson for observing that “the greatest meliorator of the world is selfish, huckstering trade?”2007 October 21, Harry Hurt Iii, “A Lens on Wealth, From All the Angles”, in New York Times. From the entry meliorator
Although this selfish survival instinct may seem abhorrent in action, it is nevertheless a natural aspect of human behavior.1989, Robb Huff, Michael B. Farley, Sea Survival: The Boatman's Emergency Manual, page 175. From the entry survival instinct
But their first supporting quotation, which is from The Selfish Gene, includes selfish genes that do have phenotypic effects.1976, Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, Kindle edition, OUP Oxford, published 2016, page 368. From the entry cavil
They butt heads sometimes because Jenna can be pretty selfish and tone-deaf, and Jeordie can be a little bit of a sourpuss.2025, S.E. Case, “Bonus Comics”, in Rigsby WI, volume 1: Foothold, →ISBN, page Ladies Be Shopping. From the entry sourpuss
So, I'm going to hit you with a truth bomb: boundaries are only seen as selfish to those who benefit from you having poor boundaries.2022, Kaitlin Soulé, A Little Less of a Hot Mess. From the entry truth bomb
That you'll come off as selfish?2019 June 14, Macaela Mackenzie, Lindsay Geller, “Why Your Orgasm Is MIA—And Exactly What To Do About It”, in Women's Health, archived…. From the entry finish
Do not associate with a person who is malicious, selfish, or unkind As people say, “Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl."2015, Yukiko Inoue-Smith, A Jungle Named Academia: Approaches to Self-Development and Growth, →ISBN. From the entry who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl
So I'll prolly say de biggest threat to Bermy is de new selfish mentality like, she ank helpin no one in de end.2013 April 12, “Exclusive: Meet Derpuntae - Bermuda's first meme”, in The Bermuda Sun, archived from the original on 12 Dec 2022. From the entry de
I think it was pretty selfish of them to finish without checking on me, and to neglect checking on me even after they finished.2005, Mark Frye, School Shooter: In His Own Words, New York, N.Y. […]: iUniverse, Inc., page 83. From the entry shaboink
This book accentuates man's self indulgences, his selfish propensities, his moral depravity, his irreverence for God and the spiritual things of God.2004, Ed Marr, Vol 1: Repentance: The Doctrine of God and the Knowledge of Salvation (in the Old Testament), page 268. From the entry self indulgence
Most of the time I take care of other people, and when I get into topspace I just like to be selfish and "cruel".2001 October 8, Laura Goodwin, “Re: Fantasy role play”, in soc.subculture.bondage-bdsm.femdom (Usenet). From the entry topspace
The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.1994 May 21, Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction, spoken by Jules Winnfield (Samuel L[eroy] Jackson). From the entry iniquity
The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.1994, Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction, spoken by Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson). From the entry inequities
Despite the stereotype of an only child who is selfish, spoiled, and lonely, the positive effects of onlyhood may be stronger than the negative.1985, American Demographics - Volume 7. From the entry onlyhood
This Valdes considers a selfish desire.1970, José C. Nieto, Juan de Valdés and the origins of the Spanish and Italian reformation. From the entry disenamor
To remedy this , she developed the idea of being a "selfist" (not to be confused with selfish), whose needs are just as important as her family's.2023, Jennifer Breheny Wallace, Never Enough, page 237. From the entry selfist
On social media, Waters was billed as an out-of-touch “old man yelling at the clouds” with one Twitter user calling him a “selfish privileged white boomer.”2022 August 10, Mark Daniell, “In Deep Waters?”, in The Province, Vancouver, B.C., page 17, column 6. From the entry old man yelling at the clouds

Meaning of selfish

adjective Holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.
adjective Having excessive or exclusive regard and concern for one's own well-being, profit or pleasure, with little or no consideration for others.
adjective Of video game characters: relying on their own actions and capabilities to be effective in the game, rather than on other characters.

Full definition of selfish

Questions about selfish in a sentence

How do you use selfish in a sentence?: Selfish is used as an adjective. For example: ““We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit.”
What is a short sentence with selfish?: “That you'll come off as selfish?”
What does selfish mean?: Selfish means holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.

Adapted from Wiktionary: selfish (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use selfish in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/selfish. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.