as in generosity
a tendency to regard the well-being of others as more important than one's own well-being
She was widely admired for her selflessness and dedication to the cause.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of selflessness
Gray’s selflessness and willingness to play wherever his manager needs him are admirable but the long-term effects of this on his development need to be considered.
—
Jay Harris, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
With acts of courage, themes of selflessness, and standing in the gap for others, this movie is a challenging and beautiful watch for the entire family.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
The most agonizing and gripping sections of the book for me are the poet’s raw observations about where selflessness can lead you (as in Kimon’s exploitation by his culture, and younger writers) and how self-interest can be a kind of armor.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
There’s an obvious selflessness with Lehkonen that endears him to teammates and fans alike.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
Rob Kos, a special education teacher at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, was anonymously nominated for a LifeChanger of the Year award, citing his selflessness and dedication to helping struggling students.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, observed with fasting, prayer and selflessness.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 2026
The elder Allen agreed that Dante’s selflessness and tireless work rate is rare.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
Several guests gushed about Frances and Harold's selflessness to the local news station.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Jay Harris, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
With acts of courage, themes of selflessness, and standing in the gap for others, this movie is a challenging and beautiful watch for the entire family.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
The most agonizing and gripping sections of the book for me are the poet’s raw observations about where selflessness can lead you (as in Kimon’s exploitation by his culture, and younger writers) and how self-interest can be a kind of armor.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
There’s an obvious selflessness with Lehkonen that endears him to teammates and fans alike.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
Rob Kos, a special education teacher at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, was anonymously nominated for a LifeChanger of the Year award, citing his selflessness and dedication to helping struggling students.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, observed with fasting, prayer and selflessness.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 2026
The elder Allen agreed that Dante’s selflessness and tireless work rate is rare.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
Several guests gushed about Frances and Harold's selflessness to the local news station.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selflessness
Noun
-
Creative self-expression and generosity of spirit are themes as the moon harmonizes with Jupiter!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
His generosity was shown on ABC 7 Chicago this past December.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Seham Hassen was known for her kindness, faith and deep love for her family.—
Ubah Ali,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Luplow, 36, is one of four winners of the inaugural FECK Awards, a national program created by Chaz Ebert to recognize people who show exemplary forgiveness, empathy, compassion and kindness, or FECK.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Kathrin has found a friendlier narrative in philanthropy.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Fashion and beauty companies are redefining philanthropy as a core business function, not a standalone initiative, as industry leaders stressed at Monday’s Social Impact Summit in New York, hosted by the Social Impact Fund and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Foundation.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There should be no unselfishness.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
-
But what gets me most excited is the loving family experiences, the relationships with neighbors and friends, the pride in community accomplishments, the lives touched by unselfishness.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Biblical scholar Bart Ehrman contends that our modern sense of altruism can be traced back to the radical shift in ethical thinking sparked by Jesus' teachings.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Trefethen led a similar portfolio at the philanthropic organization, Coefficient Giving, which is a major funder of the effective altruism community that has sometimes clashed with OpenAI’s vision for artificial intelligence.—
Thalia Beaty,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Selflessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selflessness. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
