egoism

Meanings

1. 1noununcountableformal

   The ethical view that people should act mainly out of self-interest.

   Grammar: Uncountable: no plural, no 'an'. Often used in philosophy.

   Patterns

   • ethical egoism
   • psychological egoism
   • the theory of egoism

   The philosopher defended ethical egoism, arguing that self-interest is the proper guide to action.

   Psychological egoism claims that even kind acts are secretly motivated by self-interest.

   His book compares egoism with altruism as competing moral theories.

2. 2noununcountableformal

   A general tendency to act in your own interest rather than thinking of others.

   Grammar: Uncountable: used to talk about a pattern of behavior, not a single act.

   Patterns

   • pure egoism
   • motivated by egoism

   Critics say the policy reflects the egoism of the wealthy elite.

   Her egoism made it difficult for her to compromise with the team.

   The novel explores the egoism of a man who sacrifices family for ambition.

Common combinations

ethical egoism

Ethical egoism holds that acting in your own interest is morally right.

psychological egoism

Psychological egoism is a descriptive claim about human motivation.

pure egoism

His pure egoism left no room for generosity.

national egoism

National egoism can lead countries to ignore global problems.

Synonyms and how they differ

self-interest

Self-interest is the general concern for your own advantage; egoism is the formal term for making that concern a guiding principle.

egotism

Egotism means excessive vanity and talking about yourself; egoism is about acting for your own benefit, not boasting.

Opposites

Word family

egoist noun

A person who acts mainly out of self-interest.

egoistic adjective

Relating to egoism; acting for self-interest.

Commonly confused: egoism or egotism?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “egoism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words