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self-interest
[self-in-trist, self-, -in-ter-ist]
noun
regard for one's own interest or advantage, especially with disregard for others.
He appears to be motivated solely by self-interest, greed, and an insatiable hunger for self-aggrandizement.
personal interest or advantage.
It is particularly hard to understand why a group would vote against its own self-interest.
Economics.the doctrine that acting to one’s own benefit or advantage can also result in a benefit for society at large.
Adam Smith believed that individuals pursuing rational self-interest would create wealth through efficient production and competition.
self-interest
noun
one's personal interest or advantage
the act or an instance of pursuing one's own interest
Other Word Forms
- self-interested adjective
- self-interestedness noun
- ˌ-ˈԳٱٱԱ noun
- ˌ-ˈԳٱٱ adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of self-interest1
Example Sentences
“You can't just say they voted against their own self-interest because they're telling us, for some reason, something in there motivated them to do that.”
“By diminishing the emphasis on the individual self, awe may encourage people to forego strict self-interest to improve the welfare of others.”
Trump and Musk are grandiose, self-inflating blimps fueled by massive narcissism and perceived self-interest.
Many Republican politicians aren't true believers, either, but cynical operators whose "loyalty" to Trump only lasts as far as their perceived self-interest.
He said the row showed Reform is "not serious, and will always put self-interest above our national interest".
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