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Selfish vs Avoidant - What's the difference?

selfish | avoidant |

As adjectives the difference between selfish and avoidant

is that selfish is holding one’s self-interest as the standard for decision making while avoidant is exhibiting avoidance.

As a noun avoidant is

a person who exhibits avoidance.

selfish

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Holding one’s self-interest as the standard for decision making.
  • * 1997 , John Peniel, The Children Of The Law Of One & The Lost Teachings Of Atlantis , chapter 10, page 127
    • “We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit. In this sense, every human has a sort of ‘split personality’. We are all kind of what you call ‘schitzy’ with these two sides, these two people living within us. And they are in total opposition. The free will dictates which of these two sides will have its way in our life, at every given moment.”
  • Having regard for oneself above others’ well-being.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
    • , chapter=5, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite.

    Usage notes

    * Said of people, motives, desires, acts, etc.

    Synonyms

    * egoistic * egotistic * egotistical * self-centered * greedy

    Antonyms

    * altruistic * philanthropic * selfless * unselfish

    Derived terms

    * selfishly * selfishness

    See also

    * self-serving

    Anagrams

    *

    avoidant

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Exhibiting avoidance

    • Derived terms

    * avoidantly * avoidant personality

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who exhibits avoidance.
  • * 2011 , Samuel Barondes, Making Sense of People (page 46)
    • But unlike schizoids, with whom they are sometimes confused, avoidants are actually eager to socialize. The reason they hang back is their worry that they are personally unappealing