narcissism
/ˈnɑːsɪsɪzəm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnɑːrsɪsɪzəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnär-sə-ˌsi-zəm/ (ame, mw)
narcissism — noun
1. the habit of being too pleased with how you look or what you can do, and wanting
the habit of being too pleased with how you look or what you can do, and wanting other people to praise you for it
Ezra accused his older brother of pure narcissism after he spent an hour fixing his hair.
pattern: accuse [person] of narcissism
Lauren noticed how social media rewards narcissism every time her selfies pulled in hundreds of likes.
collocation: rewards / feeds narcissism
Daichi laughed at his own narcissism when he caught himself checking the mirror for the third time before lunch.
The actor's narcissism became obvious during interviews, where every question came back to his own talent.
A bit of narcissism helps Élise step on stage, though her friends warn her not to feed it too much.
- vanity
narrower — focuses on appearance and small displays of pride
- self-absorption
neutral wording, more about being mentally inside oneself than seeking praise
- conceit
older, more literary; emphasises an inflated view of one's abilities
- egotism
stresses always centring conversation on oneself
用法筆記
Almost always uncountable and used in a critical or disapproving tone; subject of the criticism is usually a person, occasionally a group or culture.
常見錯誤
2. a personality disorder where a person constantly needs praise from others, puts
a personality disorder where a person constantly needs praise from others, puts their own wishes far above everyone else's, and cannot understand how the people around them feel
After months of sessions, the therapist gently suggested that Quan's father might be living with narcissism.
pattern: living with narcissism (clinical framing)
Dr. Adisa is leading a long study on how narcissism develops in children raised without warmth.
collocation: narcissism develops
Christopher's lawyer argued that his client's narcissism made him unable to feel the pain he caused others.
Dr. Elena tells students to spot narcissism in a patient who has burned through three marriages and many close friendships.
The clinic offers group therapy for families whose loved ones have been diagnosed with narcissism.
- narcissistic personality disorder
the full clinical name; used in formal medical writing
- NPD
abbreviation used in psychology and clinical reports
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this is the clinical disorder, often written or implied as 'narcissistic personality disorder', and is paired with verbs like 'diagnose', 'treat', 'develop'. Sense 1 is everyday criticism of a personality trait.