himself
hihm-SEHLF
Himself (pron) means the reflexive form of "he" — used when a male subject and object are the same person. Example: “He blamed himself for the mistake.”
pron
1
The reflexive form of "he" — used when a male subject and object are the same person.
"He blamed himself for the mistake."
"He made himself a cup of coffee before the meeting."
"Tom looked at himself in the mirror and straightened his tie."
2
Used for emphasis, to stress that he alone did something.
"The manager himself came out to apologise."
"I didn't believe it until the author himself signed my copy."
"He built the whole shed himself, without any help from his neighbours."
How to use himself
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe "self" version of "him" — used when someone does something to or for themselves, or for emphasis.
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Word forms
- Singular
- themselves, themself
- Plural
- themselves
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He blamed _____ for the mistake.
Etymology
From Old English him selfum, equivalent to him + self.
Synonyms
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hisself
hissen
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “himself” mean?
The word “himself” means the reflexive form of "he" — used when a male subject and object are the same person. In plain terms, the "self" version of "him" — used when someone does something to or for themselves, or for emphasis.
How do you pronounce “himself”?
“Himself” is pronounced hihm-SEHLF (/hɪmˈsɛlf/ in IPA).
How do you use “himself” in a sentence?
Here is “himself” used in a sentence: “He blamed himself for the mistake.”
What is another word for “himself”?
Words with a similar meaning to “himself” include hisself and hissen.
What part of speech is “himself”?
“Himself” is a pronoun.
Where does the word “himself” come from?
The word “himself” comes from Old English. From Old English him selfum, equivalent to him + self.
Is “himself” a common word?
“Himself” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “himself” have?
“Himself” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the reflexive form of "he" — used when a male subject and object are the same person.
What is the difference between 'himself' and 'him'?
'Him' is an object pronoun that usually points to a male other than the subject: in 'He saw him', two different people are involved. 'Himself' is reflexive, used when the subject and object are the same man: in 'He saw himself', he is looking at his own reflection. The self is turned back on itself.
When do you use 'himself'?
Use 'himself' in two main ways. As a reflexive pronoun, when a male subject acts on himself: 'He taught himself to code.' As an emphatic pronoun, to stress that it was that particular person and no other: 'The manager himself apologised.' In both, the man and the pronoun refer to the same person.
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