Narcissistic - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms (2024)

FAQs

What does narcissistic mean in simple terms? ›

Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They need and seek too much attention and want people to admire them. People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others.

1 self-centeredness, smugness, egocentrism.

Narcissistic personality disorder involves a pattern of self-centered, arrogant thinking and behavior, a lack of empathy and consideration for other people, and an excessive need for admiration. Others often describe people with NPD as co*cky, manipulative, selfish, patronizing, and demanding.

Some examples of narcissistic behavior include exaggerating a person's own achievements or importance, ignoring the wants and needs of others, and exploiting relationships for personal gain. Sometimes, these behaviors are occasional or mild.

"Narcissists are primed to be abusive because they're so hypersensitive, and they don't have empathy, and they don't have object constancy," Greenberg said. "So they are primed to take offence and be abusive and not really understand... It's a lot of work for the non-narcissistic mate."

On this page you'll find 43 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to narcissistic, such as: self-centered, self-involved, conceited, egotistic, egotistical, and self-loving.

Saad postulates that celebrities like Tom Cruise, Justin Bieber, the Kardashians, et al, were narcissists before they became famous. Narcissists seek, and some achieve, incredible fame because they desperately need the public adoration, hordes of fans, and obsequious entourages that go along with it.

What are the biggest signs of a narcissist? ›

“To what extent do you agree with this statement: 'I am a narcissist. '” Scientists believe that this question could be all researchers need to make a quick and easy diagnosis of narcissism.

Common narcissistic traits include having a strong sense of self-importance, experiencing fantasies about fame or glory, exaggerating self abilities, craving admiration, exploiting others, and lacking empathy.

Essentially, all narcissists tell on themselves. Projection is the process through which they reveal who they are and what they're doing. Through projection, they call you what they are. They accuse you of doing what they're doing or planning on doing.

People with NPD have an inflated sense of self-importance and are prone to exaggerating achievements and expecting to be recognized as superior. “Narcissists love to constantly talk about their own accomplishments and achievements with grandiose,” says psychotherapist Jacklyn Krol, LCSW, of Mind Rejuvenation Therapy.

Victims of narcissistic abuse have been reported to experience symptoms similar to PTSD, known informally as narcissistic abuse syndrome. Symptoms include intrusive, invasive, or unwanted thoughts, flashbacks, avoidance, feelings of loneliness, isolation, and feeling extremely alert.

They get jealous about everything

They talk a good game, but narcissists actually have very low self-esteem. Low self-worth/confidence/esteem is at the core of a narcissism. This low sense of self naturally makes it extremely easy for them to become jealous – very jealous.

Narcissistic rage occurs when a narcissist's beliefs about their perceived importance or grandiosity are confronted. In turn, they respond with extreme anger toward the perceived threat. Whether narcissistic rage results from criticism, losing control, or minor setbacks, being on the receiving end can be terrifying.

They will often deploy a variety of narcissistic relationship patterns such as manipulation, charismatic, and exploitational tactics in order to ensure that their own needs and wants are met. As a spouse, you may be the subject of their manipulation and abuse, while your partner treats everyone else positively.

How to control a narcissist? ›

Echoism is the opposite of narcissism. While a narcissistic person is very self-centered and always acts in their best interests, an echoist is someone who may often put others' needs before their own. In extreme cases, these personality traits can be harmful to yourself and others.

Specifically, female narcissists are less entitled, impulsive, aggressive, and more empathetic than males diagnosed with NPD. Female narcissists also may display certain distinct traits such as a preoccupation with their appearance or being more prone to envy and jealousy than males.

A vulnerable narcissist is a type of narcissist that tends to be highly self-conscious, insecure, and hypersensitive to rejection. They oscillate between feeling inferior and superior to others, and they become easily offended, anxious, or even hostile when they're not put on a pedestal.

adjectivethinking very highly of oneself. conceited. egoistic. egoistical. egomaniacal.

Narcissists can and do love, but their love tends to be superficial and fleeting. They can develop intense emotional attachments—even appearing to "fall in love"—and yet still maintain a complete lack of empathy for the object of their affection.

Narcissists are not bad people; it's their behavior that's problematic. They have been conditioned to believe that they are special and deserve to be treated better than others and approach the world accordingly.

1. Overt narcissism. Overt narcissism is also known by several other names, including grandiose narcissism and agentic narcissism. This type of narcissism is what most people associate with a narcissistic personality.

It comes hand-in-hand with this that narcissists hate being criticised or called out. Which is exactly why there's one word in particular narcissistic people cannot stand: "no".

How do narcissists argue? ›

Those who live with narcissism may find it difficult to hold positive and negative feelings for someone at the same time. As a result, things may get heated in an argument. You may experience insults, put-downs, and even mocking behaviors, like laughing as you express hurt.

A monumental weakness in the narcissist is the failure to look internally and flesh out what needs to be worked on. Then, of course, the next step is to spend time improving. The narcissist sabotages any possibility of looking deep within.

Examples of narcissistic trespass include cutting in line, chronic under-tipping, personal space intrusion, borrowing items without returning, using other's properties without asking, disobeying traffic laws, breaking appointments, and negating promises.

Although narcissists act superior, entitled and boastful, underneath their larger-than-life facade lies their greatest fear: That they are ordinary. For narcissists, attention is like oxygen. Narcissists believe only special people get attention.

Narcissists distort the truth through disinformation, oversimplifying, ridiculing and sowing doubt. Narcissists can be incredibly skilled at using classic elements of thought-control and brainwashing.

They dominate and hoard conversation time by focusing primarily on what they want to talk about (holding court), while paying little or no interest to other people's thoughts, feelings, and priorities. In a real dysfunctional sense, the narcissist communicator is self-centered and self-absorbed.

Type As can also be dangerous to narcissists

Although they can be targeted, type A people can also become a narcissist's worst nightmare. One of the most important defenses against dark personalities is having strong boundaries yourself, and type A people are usually aware they have the right to build them.

In narcissists' efforts to avoid blame, they often combine several fake apologies at once, such as, “I am sorry if I said anything to offend you, but I have strong opinions. Maybe you're too sensitive,” or, “I guess I should tell you I am sorry. But you know I would never deliberately hurt you.

How do you spot a narcissist easily? ›

They have a sense of entitlement and expect favorable treatment. They take advantage of others to achieve their goals. They lack empathy and don't try to identify with the needs of others. They envy others or believe others envy them.

Narcissism looks slightly different in everyone, so leave the diagnosis to clinical professionals. But there are certain common traits among narcissistic individuals. Those traits include a lack of empathy, a need for admiration, and a preoccupation with status.

Self-respect and self-love. Courage to abide criticism from others while maintaining positive self-regard. Confidence to set and pursue goals and realize one's hopes and dreams. Emotional resilience.

Narcissists also lie by withholding and selecting information. They lie as a form of gaslighting to extend their control over targets by making them constantly question and doubt themselves. They often frequently claim that they value and even love their targets. In doing so, they have little to no inhibitions.

It's because they are manipulators and purposely twist any conversation to maintain control over the other person and deprive them of a voice. The narcissist uses a word salad when they are confronted with something that they do not want to talk about or if they are being called out.

Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive preoccupation with oneself and one's own needs, often at the expense of others.

A common sign of people with narcissism is the belief that they are superior to others and deserve special treatment. They believe that others should be obedient to their wishes and that the rules don't apply to them. Another common trait of narcissism is manipulative or controlling behavior.

Based on overlapping symptoms, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are often mistaken for one another.

Four Ds of Narcissism: Deny, Dismiss, Devalue & Divorce.

What are narcissistic people like? ›

People with NPD have an inflated sense of self-importance and are prone to exaggerating achievements and expecting to be recognized as superior. “Narcissists love to constantly talk about their own accomplishments and achievements with grandiose,” says psychotherapist Jacklyn Krol, LCSW, of Mind Rejuvenation Therapy.

Apologize. If you've heard someone say, “Narcissists never apologize,” they're not exactly right. While many traits of narcissism like entitlement, elitism, and arrogance make it unlikely someone with narcissistic traits will go the apology route, apologies are sometimes used with ulterior motives.

Narcissists' sexual preferences are often very specific. In bed, the narcissist may have very explicit ideas about what their partner should do or even say. They want the narrative to play out in a certain way, and they don't have patience for changes to the script. This has to do with their lack of empathy.

It's important to remember that the major distinction between the narcissist and the narcissistic personality disorder is that the narcissistic is not mentally ill, does not have a personality disorder and is most interested in gaining power, money and prestige. Too many narcissists succeed in their pursuits.

Narcissism is more than a personality disorder. It is believed to be a healthy developmental process in childhood, which exists in people from normal to clinical levels. Most, if not all, of us demonstrate narcissistic tendencies over time. However, NPD is relatively rare.

Narcissists are not bad people; it's their behavior that's problematic. They have been conditioned to believe that they are special and deserve to be treated better than others and approach the world accordingly.