egoism

noun

ego·​ism ˈē-gə-ˌwi-zəm How to pronounce egoism (audio)
-gō-ˌi-,
 also  ˈe-
1
a
: a doctrine that individual self-interest is the actual motive of all conscious action
b
: a doctrine that individual self-interest is the valid end of all actions
2
: excessive concern for oneself with or without exaggerated feelings of self-importance compare egotism sense 2

Examples of egoism in a Sentence

because of her egoism, she never gave a thought to asking how the others felt
Recent Examples on the Web But that wild egoism that’s needed to put down 40-hour training weeks and shut off everything else, that’s fading. Lori Nickel, Journal Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2023 Critics say Newman is an example of unhelpful egoism. Rachel Weiner, Washington Post, 5 June 2023 Other words in this lexical field, though, have etymologies that stress more selfish instincts, along the lines of egoism. Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Apr. 2023 Liberals should not promote national egoism but support policies that will help make their fellow citizens feel connected and committed to a worthy and meaningful community. Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019 The word altruism was coined around 1830 by French philosopher August Comte, as the opposite of egoism. Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Apr. 2023 The egoism of being an actor is wonderful to laugh at. Rachel Sherman, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023 The man has never been fit for the office — his personality flaws alone should have disqualified him — and as his term nears its end, his petulant egoism and lack of self-control has now led directly to the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of his supporters. Scott Martelle and Los Angeles Times (tns), Star Tribune, 7 Jan. 2021 Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum, better known as Ayn Rand, left the USSR in 1926 and spent most of her days perfecting her egoism in the United States. Gary Shteyngart, The New York Review of Books, 19 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'egoism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of egoism was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near egoism

Cite this Entry

“Egoism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/egoism. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

egoism

noun
ego·​ism ˈē-gə-ˌwiz-əm How to pronounce egoism (audio)
: excessive interest in oneself : a self-centered attitude
egoist
-wəst
noun
egoistic
ˌē-gə-ˈwis-tik
adjective
egoistically
-ˈwis-ti-k(ə-)lē
adverb

Medical Definition

egoism

noun
ego·​ism
ˈē-gə-ˌwiz-əm also ˈeg-ə-
1
a
: a doctrine that individual self-interest is the actual motive of all conscious action
b
: a doctrine that individual self-interest is the valid end of all actions
2
: excessive concern for oneself without exaggerated feelings of self-importance compare egotism
egoist noun
egoistic
ˌē-gə-ˈwis-tik also ˌeg-ə-
adjective
also egoistical
egoistically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on egoism

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