THEMSELVES Definition & Meaning

themselves

[ thuhm-selvz, them- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

pronoun

a reflexive form of plural they used as the direct or indirect object of a verb or the object of a preposition:
They washed themselves quickly. The painters gave themselves a week to finish the work. The noisy passengers drew attention to themselves.
an emphatic form of them or they:
The authors themselves left the theater. The contract was written by the partners themselves.
a reflexive form of singular they used as the direct or indirect object of a verb or the object of a preposition:
1. (used to refer to a generic or unspecified person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context):
  No one who ignores the law can call themselves a good citizen.
2. (used to refer to a specific or known person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context):
  I want to help my friend who is harming themselves.
3. (used to refer to a nonbinary or gender-nonconforming person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context):
  Ash introduced themselves to the job recruiter.
(used in place of they or them after as, than, or but ):
no soldiers braver than themselves; As for the entertainers, everyone got paid but themselves.
their usual, normal, characteristic selves:
After a hot meal and a few hours' rest, they were themselves again.

themselves

/ ðə��ˈ��ɛ�� /

pronoun

1. the reflexive form of they or them
2. (intensifier)
  the team themselves voted on it
preceded by a copula their normal or usual selves
they don't seem themselves any more
not_standard.
Alsothemself a reflexive form of an indefinite antecedent such as one, whoever, or anybody
everyone has to look after themselves

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Usage Note

See myself, they.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of themselves¹

First recorded in 1300–50; them + selves; replacing themself, Middle English thamself; self

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

There are a number of parody accounts for the platform's owner, identifying themselves as impersonations in various ways.

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Jenny Slate hasn’t quite figured out how to respond when people tell her they found themselves sobbing at the end of “Dying for Sex,” the new FX show she stars in alongside Michelle Williams.

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When the couple go out for dinner, however, they are mostly left to themselves.

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And the Lakers, heading into their final week of the regular season, have either the good fortune or the curse of having to test themselves against the team with the NBA’s best record.

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Why do celebrities put themselves through such humiliation?

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