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Meaning & use

self-oriented

adjective·Academictechnical

Last updated

UK/ˌself ˈɔːrientɪd/
US/ˌself ˈɔːrientɪd/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Mainly concerned with one's own needs, goals or interests rather than those of other people.

    Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: a self-oriented person, he is self-oriented.

    Patterns

    • be self-oriented
    • a self-oriented approach

    Self-oriented team members may ignore what the group needs.

    The survey measured whether people were self-oriented or other-oriented.

    Her self-oriented attitude made group work difficult.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Directed toward developing or looking after oneself, as in a goal for personal improvement.

    Grammar: Usually before a noun: self-oriented goals.

    Patterns

    • self-oriented goals

    She set self-oriented goals such as learning to cook.

    Some self-oriented habits, like sleeping well, benefit everyone.

Common combinations

self-oriented behavior
Self-oriented behavior can damage trust in a team.
highly self-oriented
The study found him highly self-oriented.
self-oriented goals
Self-oriented goals focus on your own progress.
self-oriented perfectionism
Self-oriented perfectionism means demanding a lot of yourself.
self-oriented motives
Her motives were mostly self-oriented.

Synonyms and how they differ

self-centered
Self-centered is more critical and suggests a person who ignores others, while self-oriented can be neutral.
selfish
Selfish is plainly negative, while self-oriented may just describe focus.
self-focused
Self-focused is almost the same but more everyday and less technical.
egocentric
Egocentric is a stronger, more formal word suggesting a person sees everything from their own view.

Opposites

other-orientedaltruisticselfless

Word family

self noun
a person's own identity
oriented adjective
directed toward something
orientation noun
a person's basic attitude or direction
self-orientation noun
a focus on oneself

Commonly confused: self-oriented or self-oriented?

self-oriented vs self-oriented

Do not confuse with self-orienting, a rare technical term for something that aligns itself automatically.

Practice

A manager who always puts his own promotion first might be described as ____.

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