Selflessly
adv.kind, resilientwarm
What it means
With generous concern for others before personal advantage.
Reach for it when describing help or sacrifice given with primary concern for others rather than personal gain
She selflessly gave her place to someone in greater need.
Choose between these
8- everyday
for others
when plain wording avoids a claim about inner motive
not when The phrase describes beneficiaries, not selflessness.
- everyday
unselfishly
when not putting oneself first is the plain meaning
not when Unselfishly can still allow mixed motives.
- warm
when loyal sustained service matters
not when Devotion can be directed toward a cause that benefits the person.
- warm
when ample giving is central
not when Generosity can bring status or pleasure to the giver.
- warm
without seeking credit
when lack of recognition-seeking is known
not when Avoid claiming this when motives are not verifiable.
- professional
altruistically
when benefiting others without expected return is precise
not when Altruistically sounds clinical in personal praise.
- formal
benevolently
when kind intention from a position of power is central
not when Benevolence can sound paternalistic.
- formal
sacrificially
when accepting real personal cost is central
not when Sacrifice is stronger and can glorify preventable harm.
Said against
3- selfishly
- greedily
- opportunistically
It naturally appears in
3- serve selflessly
She continued to serve selflessly while training two successors.
- act selflessly
The driver acted selflessly by helping passengers before checking his luggage.
- give selflessly
They give selflessly but still protect time for rest.
The word family
2Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adverb: in a selfless manner opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.