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Definition of ego trip

Examples of ego trip in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ego trip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1967, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near ego trip

Cite this entry.

“Ego trip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ego%20trip. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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What’s So Bad About an “Ego Trip”?

What does it mean to accuse someone of being on an “ego trip”?

Let’s start with the concept of “ego.” In the original Greek definition of the term, “ego” basically refers to the self, or “I.”

In the Freudian version of the term, “ego” was part of a triad of ego, superego and “id.” Id referred to the mental realm of untamed emotions, urges and instincts; superego referred to the conscience; and ego referred to the mind’s connection with reality.

I’m not trying to promote Freud’s theory, but simply to point out the two contexts in which this term has generally been used: reality orientation, and self.

So basically, to be on an “ego” trip is to be concerned with self and reality. What, exactly, is wrong with that?

It’s interesting how the person who objects to somebody’s “ego trip” has little problem with the concept of a self. Such people are more than happy to concern themselves with their own interests, desires, selves and egos. In fact, to assert one’s own ego in the condemnation of another’s actions is itself an act of egoism, or an ego trip. By what standard of moral purity do you attack something while exercising that very thing yourself?

Instead of being honest and saying, “I object to you spending your mind’s energy and your time doing such-and-such,” they try to “make” you feel guilty by condemning you for having an ego at all. Instead of making a rational case for what’s mistaken in your actions, they go right for emotion: the emotion of guilt.

This is precisely the same tactic people use when attempting to intimidate you by calling you “selfish.” The person who feels shame over being called “selfish” never stops to consider that the person condemning him or her as selfish is, by that very act, advancing some set of interests, values or options the accuser personally and selfishly holds dear.

In other words, if I call you “selfish” and therefore bad for spending your time doing what you want to do instead of spending your time on me – on or something else important to me (world poverty, the good of the community, the family, whatever)– then I’m contradicting myself in my very act of moral condemnation and intimidation.

In effect, I’m telling you, “Shame, shame” for being concerned with your own interests while in the process using that condemnation to advance my own values, interests and opinions. How does that make any sense?

It’s precisely the same game when somebody accuses you of being on an “ego trip.”

The falsehood here is that it’s always and automatically bad whenever you’re doing something that you wish to do, by your own standards and for your own sake.

People think of “ego trip” and they immediately think of a person looking in the mirror, obsessing on him- or herself. They confuse this image with the proper definition of ego, which is a rational orientation towards oneself and reality.

Anti ego-trip moralists take it for granted that any attempt to advance the self is by definition always wrong — other than, interestingly, their own attempts to advance their own selves and interests.

It’s entirely possible that what you’re doing is wrong, irrational and not even in your own objective interests, as well as harming other innocent people. But in such a case, it’s not your “ego” that’s to blame. It’s not your orientation to self or reality that’s to blame. It’s just the opposite: Your refusal to look at reality, at your own objective interests as well as the impact on other innocent parties, that’s the problem here.

Of course, the person accusing you of the “ego trip” is bypassing any rational or objective argument against what you’re doing. Instead, the person making this accusation is going right to a hoped for response of guilt on your part.

The end result is one of two things. One, you stop doing something perfectly legitimate – yes, in your self-interest, but perfectly legitimate – for no reason other than someone else doesn’t want you to continue.

Or two, you stop doing what you indeed should stop doing, but for the wrong reason. Instead of stopping it because it’s against your interest (something self-destructive, as in drug abuse), you’re stopping it solely for the sake of others.

So the next time somebody accuses you of being on an “ego trip,” reply by saying: “And what exactly is wrong with that? My ego is myself, and my orientation to reality. How am I violating either of those things by doing what I’m doing?”

The burden of proof must be on the person making the accusation – and not on you.

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Definition of 'ego trip'

Ego trip in american english, ego-trip in american english, ego trip in british english, examples of 'ego trip' in a sentence ego trip, trends of ego trip.

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Definition of ego trip noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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Slang for ego trip.

As you've probably noticed, the slang synonyms for " ego trip " are listed above. Note that due to the nature of the algorithm, some results returned by your query may only be concepts, ideas or words that are related to " ego trip " (perhaps tenuously). This is simply due to the way the search algorithm works.

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• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2.1 Derived terms

English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ].

Originally US drug subcultures, late 1960s.

Noun [ edit ]

ego trip ( plural ego trips )

• An act of self-aggrandizement , undertaken to increase one's own power and influence or to draw attention to one's own importance .

Derived terms [ edit ]

• ego-trip ( verb )
• ego-tripper

• English lemmas
• English nouns
• English countable nouns
• English multiword terms

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ego-trip noun

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What does the noun ego-trip mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun ego-trip . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun ego-trip ?

Where does the noun ego-trip come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun ego-trip is in the 1960s.

OED's earliest evidence for ego-trip is from 1969, in It .

ego-trip is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: ego n. , trip n. 1

Nearby entries

• ego-surf, v. 1995–
• ego-surfing, n. 1995–
• EGOT, n. 1984–
• egotheism, n. 1856–
• egotism, n. 1715–
• egotist, n. 1715–
• egotistic, adj. 1859–
• egotistical, adj. 1825–
• egotistically, adv. 1812–
• egotize, v.
• ego-trip, n. 1969–
• egranulose, adj. 1884–
• egredient, adj. 1635–
• egregious, adj. ?c1550–
• egregiously, adv. 1553–
• egregiousness, n. 1606–
• egress, n. 1528–
• egress, v. 1578–
• egression, n. ?a1425–
• egressive, adj. & n. 1651–
• egret, n. 1411–

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Meaning & use

Entry history for ego-trip, n..

Originally published as part of the entry for ego, n.

ego, n. was first published in 1891; not yet revised.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the OED, Volume I (1972)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View ego in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for ego-trip, n., browse entry.