herself
hur-SEHLF
Herself (pron) means used to refer back to a female subject already mentioned in the sentence. Example: “She blamed herself for the mistake.”
pron
1
Used to refer back to a female subject already mentioned in the sentence.
"She blamed herself for the mistake."
"My sister looked at herself in the mirror and smiled."
"The little girl taught herself to ride a bike last summer."
2
Used to emphasize that a woman did something without help or personally.
"She fixed the leak herself, without calling a plumber."
"The manager herself greeted every guest at the door."
"Maya built the whole bookshelf herself over one long weekend."
How to use herself
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA reflexive or emphatic pronoun referring back to a woman or girl already mentioned.
Common mistake
Don't use "herself" as a subject in place of "she" (e.g. avoid "Herself and I went" — say "She and I went").
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like herself.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Singular
- themself, themselves
- Plural
- themselves
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She blamed _____ for the mistake.
Etymology
From Middle English, formed from "her" plus "-self."
Frequently asked questions
What does “herself” mean?
The word “herself” means used to refer back to a female subject already mentioned in the sentence. In plain terms, a reflexive or emphatic pronoun referring back to a woman or girl already mentioned.
How do you pronounce “herself”?
“Herself” is pronounced hur-SEHLF (/hɝˈsɛlf/ in IPA).
How do you use “herself” in a sentence?
Here is “herself” used in a sentence: “She blamed herself for the mistake.”
What part of speech is “herself”?
“Herself” is a pronoun.
Where does the word “herself” come from?
The word “herself” comes from Middle English. From Middle English, formed from "her" plus "-self.".
Is “herself” a common word?
“Herself” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “herself” have?
“Herself” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: used to refer back to a female subject already mentioned in the sentence.
What is the difference between 'herself' and 'her'?
'Her' is used when the female person is the object of an action done by someone else, as in 'He saw her.' 'Herself' is used when the subject and object are the same person, as in 'She saw herself in the mirror,' or for emphasis, as in 'She did it herself.'
When do you use 'herself'?
Use 'herself' in two main situations. First, as a reflexive pronoun, when a woman does something to or for her own person: 'She taught herself to code.' Second, for emphasis, to stress that she alone was involved: 'The manager herself apologised.' In both cases it points back to a female subject.
What is an example of 'herself' in a sentence?
'She poured herself a cup of tea' shows the reflexive use, where she is both the giver and the receiver. 'She built the company herself' shows the emphatic use, stressing that no one else did it. In each sentence, 'herself' refers back to the same woman named as the subject.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include herself:
