What does unselfish mean?
Unselfish is an adjective describing conduct that puts the needs, interests, or welfare of others before personal benefit. People and actions described as unselfish are typically generous, considerate, altruistic, or willing to make sacrifices without seeking a reward. The word commonly appears in praise of an unselfish decision, an unselfish act, or someone perceived as having unselfish motives, so it often has a strongly approving connotation. It is related to but not identical with selfless: both express a lack of self-regarding concern, while unselfish can more broadly suggest considerate or generous behaviour. Unselfishness is the corresponding noun, and unselfishly is the adverb. Together, these forms are useful for describing motivation and conduct in personal, social, and public contexts.
adjectiveUnselfish describes a person or action that gives priority to the needs, interests, or welfare of others rather than to personal gain. It is often used to praise considerate, generous, or self-sacrificing behaviour.
- Generous or altruistic in a way that places others' needs, interests, or welfare before one's own; often involving self-sacrifice or the absence of personal gain.
"Her unselfish decision to remain behind and help the others earned the team's lasting gratitude."
"The volunteers were praised for their unselfish support of families affected by the storm."
"She made the unselfish choice to share the last of her food with the stranded hikers."
Unselfish is the opposite of selfish, but it also captures the quieter kind of generosity that does not demand attention.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unselfish come from?
Unselfish was formed in English by combining the prefix un- with selfish, which itself derives from self and the suffix -ish. The prefix reverses the meaning of selfish, turning a quality associated with excessive concern for oneself into one associated with concern for others. The formation reflects the broader English use of un- to negate or reverse a descriptive word. Its related forms include selfless and selflessness, which emphasize the absence of selfish concern.
Related word forms
How unselfish is actually used
Unselfish is common in both formal and informal English and generally carries approving or commemorative connotations. It is often used for behaviour that involves generosity, consideration, or personal sacrifice; in less careful usage, it may be treated as a general synonym for selfless.
Easily confused with unselfish
Selfish behaviour prioritizes one's own interests, whereas unselfish behaviour prioritizes the interests or welfare of others.
Selfless and unselfish are closely related in meaning, but selfless more directly emphasizes the absence of self-regarding concern, while unselfish can describe considerate or generous conduct more broadly.