Definitions

selfless

[self-lis] / ˈsɛlf lɪs /

ADJECTIVE

unselfish

Synonyms

STRONGEST

altruistic charitable generous humanitarian loving magnanimous noble self-effacing

WEAK

benevolent chivalrous denying devoted disinterested extroverted helpful incorruptible indulgent liberal open-handed self-denying self-forgetful self-forgetting self-sacrificing

Antonyms

STRONGEST

mean selfish stingy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He is a willing and hard-working striker, a selfless sort, but not a natural goalscorer.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

And the young, selfless team around him is putting the squeeze on opponents with ridiculous depth, much of it stockpiled via that trade.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Over three days of testimony last week, Musk portrayed himself as a selfless early supporter of OpenAI, saying he contributed $38 million between 2016 and 2020 before being sidelined.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

This "selfless" sharing, known as horizontal gene transfer, can rapidly spread useful traits including genes that confer resistance to antibiotic drugs used to treat infections.

From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2026

It wasn’t a selfless decision, because they realized that Boobie had the potential to be a franchise player for Permian.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Vocabulary lists containing selfless

Giving Words

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'Tis The Season: Words For Giving

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You're Too Kind! Synonyms for "Generous"

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