What's the Difference Between 'Egoist' and 'Egotist'?

In this blog post we look at when to use egoist and when to use egotist.

'Egoist' or 'Egotist'?

Egoist and egotist are related terms but there is a subtle difference in their meanings.

An egoist is someone who prioritizes their own needs and desires above those of others.

They may be motivated by self-interest, but this does not necessarily imply negative behavior.

An egotist, on the other hand, is someone who is overly self-centered and preoccupied with their own importance.

They may be excessively boastful and arrogant, and may have a strong desire for attention and admiration from others. They often display their self-importance in a way that is disruptive to others.

For example, a successful business owner who works hard to achieve their goals and takes care of themselves and their family could be considered an egoist, while a braggart who constantly boasts about their accomplishments and belittles others could be considered an egotist.

So, while both egoist and egotist focus on themselves, an egoist may be more self-centered but not necessarily in a negative way, while egotist is more likely to be boastful, arrogant and disruptive to others.

Here are some example sentences to illustrate the difference between “egoist” and “egotist”:

Egoist: "Jane refused to share her lunch with her coworkers, she is such an egoist." (An egoist prioritizes their own needs and desires above those of others.)

Egotist: "Bob always interrupts others to talk about himself, he's an egotist." (An egotist excessively boasts about themselves and their achievements.)

Egoist: "Mark only thinks about his own happiness, he is an egoist." (An egoist prioritizes their own needs and desires above those of others.)

Egotist: "Samantha is always bringing up her awards and accolades, she is an egotist." (An egotist excessively boasts about themselves and their achievements.)

Egoist: "Mike only does what benefits him, he is an egoist." (An egoist prioritizes their own needs and desires above those of others.)

Egotist: "Liam is always correcting others and showing off his intelligence, he's an egotist." (An egotist excessively boasts about themselves and their achievements.)

Examples of Egoist in a Sentence

  1. He was a pure egoist, thinking only of himself and his own needs.

  2. She was accused of being an egoist, always putting her own interests above those of others.

  3. The CEO's egoist behavior was causing tension within the company.

  4. He was an egoist, and it was impossible to get him to consider the needs of others.

  5. The egoist's actions were causing harm to those around him.

  6. He was so absorbed in his own ego that he couldn't see the harm he was causing.

  7. The egoist's constant need for attention was wearing on those around him.

  8. The egoist's selfishness was causing problems in his relationships.

  9. He was an egoist, and his behavior was causing problems in the workplace.

  10. The egoist's self-centered attitude was causing him to alienate those around him.

Examples of Egotist in a Sentence

  1. He was an egotist, always talking about his own accomplishments and abilities.

  2. She was accused of being an egotist, always putting herself above others.

  3. The egotist's behavior made it difficult for others to work with him.

  4. He was an egotist, and his constant boasting was becoming tiresome.

  5. The egotist's need for validation and attention was causing problems in his relationships.

  6. He was so absorbed in his own ego that he couldn't see the impact of his actions on others.

  7. The egotist's self-importance was causing tension within the team.

  8. The egotist's inflated sense of self was causing him to underestimate the abilities of others.

  9. He was an egotist, and his behavior was causing problems in the workplace.

  10. The egotist's constant need for praise was causing others to distance themselves from him.


Egoist or Egotist
Egoist or Egotist

Sources:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/egoism