selfless love
Giving without expecting
Selfless love is affection or devotion that prioritizes another's wellbeing over one's own interests.
The phrase emphasizes sacrifice and lack of expectation—giving without seeking return: A parent's selfless love means putting the child's needs first.
Often invoked in religious and philosophical contexts to describe an ideal form of love, distinct from romantic or transactional attachment.
- giftItem given freely
- transcendenceSurpassing usual limits
- empathySharing another's emotions
- open heartEmotional receptiveness, unguarded
- agapeMouth held wide
grace · friendship · sacrifice · forgiveness · heart of gold · humility · philia · compassion · loving kindness · altruism · selflessness · caritas · kindness · mercy · ahimsa · volunteerism · benevolence · no strings attached
- sacred loveagape, loving-kindness, caritas, divine grace, divine compassion
- loveadoration, affection, amour, attraction, beloved
- loving-kindnessloving-kindness, well-wishing, goodwill, benevolence, kindness
selfless loveself-interest
Concern for personal advantage
egoism · selfishness · self-absorption · exploitation · narcissism
selfless loveenmeshment
Boundary-blurring relational pattern
codependency · toxic love · unhealthy attachment · anxious attachment · emotional manipulation