selfishly

adverb

self·​ish·​ly ˈsel-fish-lē How to pronounce selfishly (audio)
: in a selfish way
acting/behaving selfishly
… he selfishly hogged attention for his injury …—Louise Erdrich
He finds support for his intuition from game theory, which says that if everyone in a game acts selfishly, everyone suffers.—Gina Kolata

Examples of selfishly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Given all that, Raffo selfishly wanted desperately to keep Liam at Arkansas State for a second season. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026 The Sudanese conflict has conscripted the neighboring countries who are selfishly courting either faction for resources or political standing, as well as greedy, exploitative foreign powers who repeatedly leverage religious and cultural tensions in the region, into the fight for profit. — Janine Di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026 That choice became a cautionary tale for Democrats who argue that too many of the old guard have selfishly refused to pass the baton to the younger generation. — Vivian Yee, New York Times, 20 June 2026 This month, drama will unfold, regardless of the teams or their anonymity among the Levi’s Stadium fans, who will range from soccer-craving supporters to big-event influencers selfishly looking to expand their brand (like FIFA). — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for selfishly

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of selfishly was in 1645

Rhymes for selfishly

See All Rhymes for selfishly

Browse Nearby Words

selfish
selfishly
selfishness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Selfishly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfishly. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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