Skip to main content
selfless

selfless

72 3.2
Caring more about other people's needs than your own
  • adjective
  • /ˈsɛlfləs/
translation icon : desinteresado
  • She is the most selfless, amazing mother.
  • selfless devotion
  • selfless service
  • a selfless act

I think it's really selfless of you to feel that way.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • True, it was a selfless, noble act, if I do say so myself, but my only reward will be your happiness.

  • The volunteers showed a selfless dedication to helping those in need.

  • I think it's really selfless of you to feel that way.

  • And I saw how my family was so selfless in taking care of me.

  • So you can be super selfless the rest of the day.

  • I will not allow the selfless efforts of my husband and his friends to be abandoned.

  • I saw some of the most heroic, selfless acts.

  • She's so selfless, one of the most selfless people I've ever met.

  • Now she moves in like fashion, but in harmony with her courteous and selfless spouse.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Her selfless actions during the crisis inspired everyone around her.

Synonyms

kind
vsselfless
534 1.0

Being helpful and caring toward other people

is about prioritizing others' needs and wishes rather than simple kindness
charitable
vsselfless
150 3.4

Showing kindness and being generous, especially by giving help or money to people in need

is about prioritizing others' needs rather than mainly offering donations
generous
vsselfless
79 1.2

Willing to forgive small mistakes and not be strict

is concerned with others' needs, not only with being forgiving or noble
altruistic
vsselfless
23 6.7

Wanting to help other people even when it costs you

is the same meaning and serves as the term used in this entry
philanthropic
vsselfless
20 6.8

Wanting to help people by giving money to those in need

is a personal concern for others, not only large scale financial support
unselfish
vsselfless
19 2.0

Willing to put other people's needs before your own

is the same meaning and serves as the term used in this entry
magnanimous
vsselfless
  • Formal
16 8.0

Being kind and generous when forgiving people who hurt you

is about putting others' needs first rather than pardoning or showing nobility
kind-hearted
vsselfless
9 2.5

A person who cares about others and often helps them

is focused on meeting others' needs specifically rather than general sympathetic feeling
self-sacrificing
vsselfless
5 5.5

Ready to give up your own needs to help others

is concerned more with others but usually without extreme personal loss
kindhearted
vsselfless
5 2.5

A person who is kind and caring

is more about prioritizing needs rather than general kindness and warmth
beneficent
vsselfless
  • Formal
4 7.8

Being kind and helping people by giving money or other help

is about caring for others' needs rather than simply performing good acts
public-spirited
vsselfless
1 4.6

Caring about people in the community and acting to help

is focused on any person's needs, not only those of the wider community
self-giving
vsselfless
1 7.3

Ready to put other people's needs before your own and help them

is concerned with others' needs but not necessarily giving personal time or energy
prosocial
vsselfless
  • Specialized
1 5.5

Doing things that help other people

is a personal concern for others rather than only describing helpful actions
openhearted
vsselfless
1 4.1

Shows kindness and honesty, sharing feelings with others

is about putting others' needs first rather than emotional openness
freehearted
vsselfless
  • Archaic
6.7

Giving money, help, or time to others in a kind way

is focused on others' needs but not necessarily openly generous or public

Antonyms

458 1.0

Caring only about yourself and not about other people

56 3.9

A person who is only interested in their own needs and not in other people's feelings

How Selfless

altruistic
23 6.7
selfless
72 3.2
unselfish
19 2.0
considerate
68 2.5

Surface Forms

selfless positive
selflesser comparative
selflessest superlative

Morphology

selfless = self (transparent) = self + less

Standard adjective formation by adding '-less' to 'self' to mean 'not concerned with oneself', which directly maps to 'unselfish'.

Etymology

Selfless comes from self, the same self in myself or selfish, meaning 'one's own person', and the ending -less meaning 'without'. So a selfless person is 'without' worry about themselves and cares more about other people.