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.

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

Avery Ware, in his seventh season as coach, said, “It’s a lot of being selfless and versatile.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Theirs was never glamorous work, but it was done with profound, selfless love.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

In matters of selfless love, nothing needed to be said, and she would protect her sister, even if Cecilia failed to acknowledge her debt.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

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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