VOOZH about

URL: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/selfless

⇱ SELFLESS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com


selfless

American  
[self-lis] / ˈsɛlf lɪs /

adjective

  1. having little or no concern for oneself, especially with regard to fame, position, money, etc.; unselfish.


selfless British  
/ ˈsɛlflɪs /

adjective

  1. having little concern for one's own interests

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • selflessly adverb
  • selflessness noun

Etymology

Origin of selfless

First recorded in 1815–25; self + -less

Compare meaning

How does selfless compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Service to our country, service to the Constitution, selfless service.”

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

His goal proved the difference against Chelsea, but Gordon's selfless work without the ball was crucial to this win, too.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

Still, adults differ widely in how selfless they become.

From Science Daily • Feb. 13, 2026

She praised her surrogate as selfless, loving and strong and said surrogacy is a different and beautiful way to grow a family.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

Nor, more puzzlingly, did he gain any fame or even much attention from half a century of consistent and increasingly selfless achievement.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.