Generosity & Selfishness Spectrum: From Self-Sacrificing to Solipsistic — A Graded Thesaurus of Giving and Taking
SELF-SACRIFICING [ˌself ˈsækrɪfaɪsɪŋ] 🟢▶▶▶
Sacrificing one’s own interests or wishes in order to help others.
The ultimate generosity, putting others’ needs before one’s own.
MAGNANIMOUS [mæɡˈnænɪməs] 🟢▶▶
Very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful.
A noble generosity of spirit, often in a position of strength.
BOUNTIFUL [ˈbaʊntɪfl] 🟢▶
Large in quantity; abundant; generously given.
Generosity that is plentiful and overflowing.
LAVISH [ˈlævɪʃ] 🟢
Bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities.
Generosity that is extravagant and abundant, often with money or praise.
BENEVOLENT [bəˈnevələnt] 🟢
Well meaning and kindly; characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings.
A charitable, often proactive, form of generosity.
ALTRUISTIC [ˌæltruˈɪstɪk] 🟢
Showing a selfless concern for the well-being of others.
Generosity motivated purely by the desire to help others.
GENEROUS [ˈdʒenərəs] 🟢
The standard term for showing a readiness to give more of something, especially money, than is strictly necessary or expected.
The neutral, all-purpose word for giving.
CHARITABLE [ˈtʃærətəbl] 🟢
Relating to the assistance of those in need; generous in giving to those in need.
Generosity directed toward the needy or through organizations.
BIG-HEARTED [ˌbɪɡ ˈhɑːrtɪd] 🟢
Kind and generous; compassionate.
An informal term for a warm, spontaneous, and large capacity for giving.
MUNIFICENT [mjuːˈnɪfɪsnt] 🟢
Larger or more generous than is usual or necessary.
A formal term for exceptionally generous giving.
GIVING [ˈɡɪvɪŋ] 🟢
Providing love or other emotional support; caring.
A general disposition to be generous with time, love, or support.
LIBERAL [ˈlɪbərəl] 🟢
Generous in amount; given, used, or occurring in ample amounts.
Generosity in quantity or interpretation.
OPEN-HANDED [ˌoʊpən ˈhændɪd] 🟢
Giving freely; generous.
Generosity that is free and unstinting.
HOSPITABLE [hɑːˈspɪtəbl] 🟢
Friendly and welcoming to strangers or guests.
Generosity specifically shown through welcoming treatment.
NEUTRAL [ˈnuːtrəl] 🔵
Not supporting or helping either side; having no strong feeling.
A state of being neither generous nor selfish.
RECIPROCAL [rɪˈsɪprəkl] 🔵
Given, felt, or done in return.
An exchange-based relationship, not purely generous or selfish.
SELF-INTERESTED [ˌself ˈɪntrəstɪd] 🟣
Having concern for one’s own advantage and well-being, especially to the exclusion of others.
A pragmatic focus on one’s own needs.
SELF-SERVING [ˌself ˈsɜːrvɪŋ] 🟣
Having concern for one’s own welfare and interests before those of others.
Acting for one’s own benefit, often with a negative connotation.
ACQUISITIVE [əˈkwɪzətɪv] 🟣
Excessively interested in acquiring money or material things.
A strong desire to gain and possess, opposed to giving.
SELFISH [ˈselfɪʃ] 🟣
The standard term for lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure.
The direct, neutral antonym of “generous.”
GREEDY [ˈɡriːdi] 🟣
Having an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.
An excessive, grasping selfishness.
STINGY [ˈstɪndʒi] 🟣
Unwilling to give or spend; ungenerous.
A petty form of selfishness with money or resources.
AVARICIOUS [ˌævəˈrɪʃəs] 🟣▶
Having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
A formal, intense term for greed.
MERCENARY [ˈmɜːrsəneri] 🟣▶
Primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics.
Motivated solely by a desire for monetary gain.
POSSESSIVE [pəˈzesɪv] 🟣▶
Demanding someone’s total attention and love; showing an unwillingness to share one’s possessions.
Selfishness regarding people or things one considers one’s own.
EXPLOITATIVE [ɪkˈsplɔɪtətɪv] 🟣▶▶
Making use of a situation or person in an unfair or selfish way.
Selfishness that actively takes advantage of others.
PARASITIC [ˌpærəˈsɪtɪk] 🟣▶▶
Behaving in a way that exploits others without giving anything in return.
A biological metaphor for a draining, one-sided relationship.
NARCISSISTIC [ˌnɑːrsɪˈsɪstɪk] 🟣▶▶▶
Having an excessive interest in or admiration of oneself.
A pathological selfishness centered on the self-image.
SOLIPSISTIC [ˌsɑːlɪpˈsɪstɪk] 🟣▶▶▶
The view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist; extreme preoccupation with the self.
A philosophical extreme where only one’s own mind is sure to exist, leading to ultimate selfishness.
