Glossary: Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

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This glossary of terms related to narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) includes both commonly used terms and academic/clinical terms.

Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by self-focus and self-importance (Miller et al., 2021).
It is recognized as a two-dimensional structure, grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism, each with different psychological and biological characteristics (Altmann & Roth, 2024; Borráz-León et al., 2023).
Narcissism has primarily been studied as an abnormal personality disorder, but it can also be seen as a normal aspect of personality reflecting ideals of dominance, exploitation, and feelings of entitlement (Lee & Ashton, 2005).

This narcissism glossary maintains an alphabetical structure and will keep evolving.

A

Abandonment – Fear of being left alone, often leading to clingy or controlling behaviors in narcissists
Abuse by Proxy – Using third parties to indirectly abuse or harass a victim, maintaining the narcissist’s deniability
ACoNs – Adult Children of Narcissists. Read: How Narcissist Mothers Treat Their Daughters.
Admiration Seeking – Persistent pursuit of praise and validation to bolster self-esteem
Admiration and Approval – Intense need for constant attention and validation from others
Affective Empathy – Ability to share and feel others’ emotions, frequently lacking in NPD
Agentic Extraversion – Grandiose fantasies and social dominance traits
Aggression – Use of verbal or physical force to intimidate and control
Alienation – Deliberate isolation of a victim from their support network
Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Often comorbid with NPD
Apathy – Emotional detachment/indifference
Apology Fraud – Insincere or fake apologies used to evade responsibility
Arrogance – Haughty or superior attitude toward others
Attachment Trauma – Childhood emotional wounds increasing NPD vulnerability

B

Backhanded Compliment – Insult disguised as praise to undermine confidence
Baiting – Provoking reactions to create drama
Belittling – Diminishing another’s worth through criticism or mockery
Betrayal Trauma – Deep emotional pain from violated trust in close relationships
Black and White Thinking – Viewing situations in extremes, without nuance
Blame-Shifting – Deflecting responsibility by accusing others
Body Shaming – Criticizing physical appearance to erode self-esteem
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – A cluster B disorder characterized by intense emotional instability, unstable relationships, and impulsive behaviors. It often involves a fear of abandonment and can lead to self-destructive actions.
Boundaries – Personal rules defining acceptable behavior from others
Boundary Violations – Disregarding or crossing others’ personal limits without consent
Brainwashing – Systematic alteration of beliefs and behaviors through manipulation. Read: Gaslighting vs. Brainwashing.
Breadcrumbing – Giving minimal attention to keep someone interested. Sporadic, low‑effort contact that strings someone along without commitment; often contrasted with hoovering in risk and escalation. Less dangerous than hoovering, but can prolong ambiguity and emotional dependence.
Burnout – Emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion from prolonged abuse
Bystander Effect – Reduced likelihood of intervention when others are present, enabling abuse

C

Cerebral Narcissism – Form of narcissism where supply is derived from perceived intellectual superiority
Closure – Self-provided resolution after a relationship ends without answers
Cluster B Personality Disorders – NPD’s diagnostic category
Codependency – Excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, often seen in relationships with narcissists
Coercive Control – Non-physical tactics like threats or isolation to instill fear and compliance
Cognitive Dissonance – Mental conflict from contradictory beliefs
Compartmentalization – Mentally separating conflicting thoughts or behaviors to avoid guilt
Communal Narcissism – Grandiose self-view centered on being the most helpful, caring, or moral person
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) – Condition from repeated trauma, including hypervigilance and trust issues
Control – Compulsive need to dominate environments and people
Covert (Vulnerable) Narcissism – a subtype of narcissistic personality marked by an incongruous mix of defensiveness and entitlement. Covert narcissists crave recognition but are hypersensitive to humiliation, leading to secret resentments and envy. Despite their outward shyness and self-consciousness, they still feel entitled to special treatment and lack true empathy for others.
Cycle of Abuse – Pattern of abuse involving idealization, devaluation, and discard.
Cycles of Abuse – Repeating phases of affection followed by devaluation and discard

D

DARVO – Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. Perpetrator response pattern when confronted: Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender; introduced by Jennifer Freyd in the betrayal‑trauma literature. Empirical work shows DARVO can shape observers’ judgments and chill accountability processes. Read: DARVO: The Narcissist’s Toolkit.
Dark Triad – Personality traits encompassing narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy
Deflection – Redirecting conversations or blame to avoid accountability
Denial – Refusal to acknowledge flaws, mistakes, or reality
Depression in Narcissism – No significant association between grandiose narcissism and depression, but a strong positive correlation between vulnerable narcissism and depression (Borráz-León & Rantala, 2025).
Devaluation – Phase where idealization turns to criticism
Discard – Abrupt abandonment of relationships
Distortion – Twisting facts or events to fit a manipulative narrative
Divide and Conquer – Creating divisions among people to maintain control
Diversionary Tactics – Methods to shift focus from one’s wrongdoing
Dominance – Strong desire to exert power over others
DSM-5 – The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, is a comprehensive guide used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental health conditions like NPD.
Dual Personality – Presenting different personas to different people

E

Echoism – Tendency to suppress one’s own needs and echo others’ desires, often as a response to narcissistic environments
Ego – An Inflated sense of self that is central to narcissistic traits
Emotional Abuse – Harm through criticism, humiliation, or control
Emotional Blackmail – Using fear, guilt, or obligation to coerce compliance
Emotional Manipulation – Tactics like guilt-tripping to influence others
Emotional Vampirism – Draining others’ energy through constant demands
Empathy Deficit – Reduced ability to understand others’ feelings
Enabler – Someone who allows abusive behaviors to continue
Enmeshment – Blurred boundaries leading to loss of individual identity
Entitlement – Unreasonable expectations of special treatment
Exploitation – Using others for personal gain
Exhibitionistic Narcissism – A high-functioning, attention-seeking subtype

F

False Self – Constructed persona that hides the narcissist’s true, vulnerable identity
Fantasy – Grandiose dreams of power and superiority
Fauxpology – Insincere apology designed to deflect or induce guilt
Financial Abuse – Controlling finances to create dependency and power imbalance
Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory (FFNI) – Comprehensive assessment tool
Flying Monkeys – People manipulated to help the narcissist inflict harm on the real victim. Third parties are recruited to harass, surveil, pressure, or discredit a target on behalf of an abuser, extending abuse by proxy. The term is colloquial; the behaviors map to well‑documented enabler roles in coercive control and post‑separation abuse.
“Four Horsemen” Pattern – Refers to criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling, the four negative communication patterns identified by Dr. John Gottman that can predict relationship breakdowns. These patterns are often associated with individuals exhibiting psychopathic traits, as they can lead to high-conflict interactions and emotional manipulation.
Future Faking – Making false promises about future plans

G

Gaslighting – Making victims question their reality
Golden Child – The favored child in a narcissistic family dynamic, often pitted against others
Grandiosity – Exaggerated sense of self-importance
Gray Rock Method – Becoming boring/unresponsive to avoid attention. A coping tactic to reduce engagement and emotional “payoff” to a manipulator by being brief, boring, and nonreactive in necessary interactions. The term originated in survivor communities circa 2012; useful situationally but not a substitute for safety planning or therapy when risk is high.

H

Hoovering – Attempts to suck victims back into relationships. Manipulative re‑engagement attempts after distance or breakup, often using apologies, promises to change, gifts, or crises to pull the target back in. Distinct from ordinary reconciliation by pattern, history of abuse, and escalation.
Histrionic Personality Disorder – Another Cluster B disorder
Hypervigilance – Heightened state of alertness, often developed by victims of narcissistic abuse

I

Idealization – Initial phase of excessive praise/attention
Inner Child Healing – Therapeutic process addressing childhood traumas linked to narcissistic patterns
Intermittent Reinforcement – Unpredictable rewards intended to create addiction. Alternating positive and negative treatment that increases persistence of attachment and responding, implicated as a mechanism in traumatic bonding. Expect stronger “pull” and difficulty disengaging when good‑bad cycles are extreme and unpredictable.
Invalidation – Dismissing or belittling others’ emotions or experiences
Inverted Narcissism – A form of codependency where one is drawn to and enables narcissists

J

Jealousy – Envy and resentment toward others’ success

K

Knowledge Gap – Using superior knowledge to maintain power
Kohut’s Theory – Self-psychology framework emphasizing the role of self-objects in narcissistic development

L

Lost Child – The overlooked or invisible child in a narcissistic family system
Love Bombing – Excessive early attention and affection. Intensified early attention, flattery, gifts, and rapid commitment signals used to accelerate attachment and gain influence. Not a diagnostic term, with emerging but mixed empirical work in relationship samples. Often described in cycles with later devaluation; treat as a control tactic descriptor rather than a clinical label.
Low Contact – Limiting interactions to essentials when no contact isn’t possible
Lack of Empathy – Core NPD feature

M

Malignant Narcissism – NPD with antisocial traits
Manipulation – Controlling others through deception
Mask – The false facade presented to conceal true intentions or vulnerabilities
“Mask model” of narcissism – It proposes that the narcissist’s grandiose bravado is a defensive mask concealing an underlying fragile self that is chronically insecure, as evidenced by over-activation of the HPA axis (stress hormone system) in response to any slight or criticism. Over time, this constant hyper-arousal may lead to baseline elevated cortisol levels, causing many narcissistic individuals to live in a state of latent stress.
Mirroring – Copying others’ traits to appear appealing

N

Narcissism – Pattern of grandiosity and lack of empathy
Narcissistic Abuse – Systematic psychological and emotional harm inflicted by a narcissist
Narcissistic Brain – Brains of narcissists tend to be wired for low empathy, high self-referential reactivity, and a paradoxical defensive overdrive hidden by compensatory self-assurance. MRI of narcissistic brains showed a smaller left anterior insula, a region critical for emotional empathy and resonance.
Narcissistic Enabler – A person who excuses or supports the narcissist’s harmful actions
Narcissistic Injury – Threats to the false self
Narcissistic Leadership – When a leader’s actions are mainly motivated by their own egomaniacal needs and beliefs, superseding the needs and interests of the group and institution they lead. They are highly defensive, so even mild feedback or dissent can provoke an outsized retaliatory response.
Narcissistic Neuroticism – Shame-prone, oversensitive traits
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) – Clinical diagnosis. See: Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD): Diagnostic Guide
Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) – Widely used self-report measure of narcissistic traits. See: Narcissistic Personality Test
Narcissistic Rage – Explosive anger when criticized. Read: What Triggers Narcissistic Rage?
Narcissistic Supply – Attention/admiration needed to boost or maintain self-esteem. Read: Narcissistic Supply Explained
National Narcissism – A rhetoric emphasizing a nation’s greatness and sense of entitlement; a form of collective narcissism (the belief that one’s group is superior to others but lacks external recognition).
No Contact – Complete cessation of communication with the narcissist

O

Object Constancy – Difficulty maintaining a positive emotional bond with someone when they feel anger or disappointment towards them. This instability of emotional bonding can lead the narcissist to cruel behavior, as they become blind to the good qualities of the person they are upset with.
Object Relations Theory – Psychoanalytic perspective on how early relationships shape narcissistic pathology
Overt Narcissism – Obvious, grandiose presentation

P

Parentification – Role reversal where a child assumes parental responsibilities in narcissistic families
Passive-Aggression – Indirect resistance or hostility, such as procrastination or sullenness
Pathological Lying – Compulsive dishonesty
Pathological Narcissism – Severe, pervasive form causing consistent relational issues; often refers to NPD.
Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) – Assessment tool measuring both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism
Projection – Attributing one’s flaws to others
Psychopath – Related antisocial personality pattern
Psychological safety – The belief that individuals can express their ideas, questions, and concerns without fear of punishment or humiliation. It fosters an environment where team or family members feel accepted and respected, which enhances collaboration.

Q

Quiet Borderline – Internalized Psychological safety symptoms

R

Reactive Abuse – Victim’s response to prolonged abuse
Red Flags – Early warning signs of abuse
Rumination – Repetitive, obsessive thinking often experienced by victims

S

Scapegoat – Family member blamed for problems
Self-Centered Antagonism – Disdain and exploitation of others
Self-Object – In self-psychology, people or things used to maintain one’s sense of self
Silent Treatment – Withholding communication as punishment
Smear Campaign – Damaging someone’s reputation
Somatic Narcissism – Narcissism focused on physical appearance, beauty, or sexual prowess
Splitting – Black-and-white thinking patterns. A defense mechanism where one categorizes people and situations as either all good or all bad, avoiding the complexity of mixed feelings. This helps narcissists maintain their faultless self-image and manage internal conflicts.
Stonewalling – Withdrawal, shutdown, or “silent wall” during conflict; identified in relationship research as one of the “Four Horsemen” patterns linked to distress. Often follows physiological flooding; time‑outs and self‑soothing improve discussion outcomes.
Supply – An abbreviated form of the term Narcissistic Supply.

T

Toxic Shame – Deep-seated feelings of worthlessness underlying vulnerable narcissism
Triangulation – Using third parties to manipulate relationships. Drawing a third party into a dyad under stress to manage anxiety or power, a core process in Bowen family systems theory. In abuse contexts, triangulation can be used to isolate, incite jealousy, or manipulate alliances. Read: Narcissistic Triangulation: 10 Examples
Trauma Bonding (Traumatic Bonding) – Psychological attachment through abuse cycles. Strong attachment formed under power imbalance with intermittent punishment/reward, empirically linked to abusive relationship dynamics over time. Expect durable attachment feelings and return risk after separation; intermittent maltreatment and dominance are central mechanisms.
Trauma Responses – Fight, flight, freeze, fawn reactions

U

Unmasking – Revealing the true narcissistic personality

V

Victim Blaming – Holding victims responsible for abuse
Vulnerable Narcissism – Covert, shame-based presentation

W

Withholding – Deliberately denying emotional, physical, or informational support
Word Salad – Confusing, meaningless communication
Walking on eggshells – Being very careful not to upset or offend someone like a narcissist, often due to their unpredictable moods or reactions. This can create a tense and exhausting atmosphere in relationships, indicating a lack of open communication and emotional safety.

X

Xenophobia – Fear/hatred of outsiders (sometimes present)

Y

Yielding – Submission to avoid conflict

Z

Zero Empathy – Complete absence of emotional understanding

Final Words

Narcissists become preoccupied with establishing their adequacy, power, beauty, status, prestige, and superiority. At the same time, narcissists expect others to accept the high esteem in which they hold themselves, and to cater to their needs. What is striking in the behavior of these people is their interpersonal exploitativeness. Narcissists live under the illusion that they are entitled to be served, that their own wishes take precedence over those of others. They think that they deserve special consideration in life (Kets de Vries & Miller, 1985).

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√ Also Read: How Narcissists Apologize: Their 10 Bizarre Apologies

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