themselves

themselves — pronoun

1. used as the object of a verb or preposition when the people or animals doing the

1.pronounA2
Definition

used as the object of a verb or preposition when the people or animals doing the action are the same people or animals that receive the action — for example, when children wash themselves, or when a team blames themselves for losing.

Example

The children taught themselves to swim during the summer holidays.

reflexive: group as both subject and object

Noa and Quinn felt proud of themselves after finishing the race.

Common collocations
  • enjoy themselves
  • hurt themselves
  • teach themselves
  • introduce themselves
  • ask themselves

Grammar Patterns

they/group + verb + themselves

Usage Note

This is the core reflexive use of 'themselves'. The subject must be plural (they, a group of people, or animals). For a single person with unknown gender, use sense 3 (SINGULAR THEY).

Common Mistakes

The children looked at themselves in the mirror seeing each sibling.
The children looked at each other in the mirror.
Use 'each other' for mutual actions between group members; use 'themselves' when each person acts on themselves.

2. used to draw attention to a particular group, stressing that it really was that

2.pronounA2
Definition

used to draw attention to a particular group, stressing that it really was that group (and no other) who performed the action — for example, when the managers themselves admit a mistake, or when the athletes themselves choose their captain.

Example

The teachers themselves admitted the exam was much too difficult.

emphatic: [group] + themselves + verb

The sixth-grade students themselves came up with the bake-sale idea to fund their trip.

Common collocations
  • themselves admitted
  • themselves decided
  • themselves created
  • themselves chose

Grammar Patterns

they + themselves + verb

noun/name + themselves + verb

Usage Note

In this sense 'themselves' comes directly after the noun or pronoun it emphasizes. It cannot be removed without changing the meaning — the emphasis would be lost. Compare: 'The CEO apologized' (simple fact) vs 'The CEO herself apologized' (emphasizes the CEO's personal involvement). For a single person, use 'himself' or 'herself'.

3. used instead of 'himself' or 'herself' when talking about one person whose gende

3.pronounB1
Definition

used instead of 'himself' or 'herself' when talking about one person whose gender is not known or not important — for example, when a doctor says 'a patient should not treat themselves', or when a notice asks 'each guest to help themselves to drinks'.

Example

If a new member joins the club, give them time to introduce themselves.

singular they: someone + themselves (gender unknown)

A new employee who feels unwell at work should take care of themselves before continuing.

Common collocations
  • introduce themselves
  • help themselves
  • take care of themselves
  • speak for themselves

Grammar Patterns

someone/anyone/ + verb + themselves

Usage Note

This use of 'themselves' with a singular antecedent (someone, anyone, everyone, each person) is common in modern English, especially in everyday speech. Some formal style guides still prefer 'himself or herself', but singular 'they/them/themselves' is now widely accepted in most contexts.

Common Mistakes

If a student is absent, tell him to get the notes himself.
If a student is absent, tell them to get the notes themselves.
'Themselves' with singular 'them' is the standard gender-neutral choice when the person's gender is unknown.

4. alone, without other people nearby; or without help from anyone else — for examp

4.pronounA2
Definition

alone, without other people nearby; or without help from anyone else — for example, when children walk to school on their own, or when a team builds a shelter without outside assistance.

Example

The children walked to school by themselves for the first time.

by themselves = alone, unaccompanied

After the party, the hosts were left by themselves to clean up.

Common collocations
  • live by themselves
  • walk by themselves
  • do it by themselves
  • left by themselves
Synonyms
  • alone

    focuses on being unaccompanied rather than unaided; 'live alone' is more common than 'live by themselves'

  • on their own

    interchangeable with 'by themselves' in most contexts; slightly more informal

  • independently

    more formal; emphasizes lack of external help rather than solitude

Grammar Patterns

by themselves

Usage Note

The meaning depends on context: 'by themselves' can mean either 'alone/without company' or 'without assistance'. When both interpretations are possible, the surrounding context clarifies which one is intended.

5. for their own exclusive benefit or use, without sharing with others; or based on

5.pronounB1
Definition

for their own exclusive benefit or use, without sharing with others; or based on their own judgment, not on what others say — for example, when a family has the whole beach to themselves, or when voters decide for themselves whom to support.

Example

The guests had the whole swimming pool to themselves.

have [something] to themselves = for their exclusive use

The research team kept the data for themselves and did not share it.

Common collocations
  • keep for themselves
  • have to themselves
  • decide for themselves
  • see for themselves
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

for themselves

Usage Note

When followed by an infinitive (e.g. 'decide for themselves what to do'), this phrase means 'without having others decide for them'. When used with 'have [something] to themselves', it means the thing is exclusively for their use.

6. not in their usual happy, healthy, or calm state — used when people behave stran

6.pronounB1
Definition

not in their usual happy, healthy, or calm state — used when people behave strangely because they are sick, tired, worried, or upset. For example, when someone who is usually cheerful seems sad, you might say 'they are not themselves today'.

Example

The twins have been quiet all morning — they are not themselves today.

be + not + themselves = acting unusually

After the long flight, the children did not feel like themselves at all.

Common collocations
  • not themselves
  • feel like themselves
  • be themselves
  • quite themselves
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • themselves again

    used after recovery: 'They are themselves again' means back to normal

Grammar Patterns

be + not + themselves

feel + themselves

Usage Note

This sense almost always appears in negative form ('not themselves') or with modifiers like 'quite' or 'really' ('not quite themselves', 'not really themselves'). It is used with the verb 'to be' or 'to feel' and describes a temporary condition, not a permanent personality change.

Idioms

in themselves

idiom

considered alone, without other things or people being involved — used to focus attention on the thing itself, separate from its effects or context.

The exam scores are not important in themselves; what matters is which topics each student needs to review.

The mountains are not dangerous in themselves, but bad weather makes climbing risky.

among themselves

idiom

within a particular group, between the members of the group, not involving or shared with people outside it.

The committee members argued among themselves for over an hour.

The children whispered among themselves while the teacher was writing on the board.

(all) by themselves

idiom

Without any other people present or helping.

The children played in the garden all by themselves.

Did Sara and Diego finish the project by themselves?

(all) to themselves

idiom

For only them to use or enjoy, not shared.

The twins had the whole playground all to themselves.

Maya wants a room all to herself for studying.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: pronoun/4

'By themselves', 'alone', 'on their own', and 'independently' all describe a situation without others present or without outside help, but they differ in nuance. 'Alone' focuses strictly on solitude — being physically separated from others ('the old man lives alone'). 'On their own' is very close to 'by themselves' and can often replace it, though it leans slightly more toward self-reliance than solitude ('the children cooked dinner on their own'). 'Independently' is more formal and emphasizes the absence of external control or support ('the researchers worked independently on separate projects'). 'By themselves' is the most natural in everyday speech for both meanings — solitude ('they sat by themselves at lunch') and self-reliance ('they built the bookshelf by themselves'). For a learner, 'by themselves' is the safest and most versatile choice.

alone ↗on their ownindependently ↗by themselves

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Themselves' comes from Middle English 'them self' ('them' + 'self'), first used around the 14th century. Before that, the reflexive form was 'hem self' (from Old English 'him selfum', the dative form). Over time, 'them' replaced 'hem' as the third-person plural pronoun, and 'self' was pluralized to 'selves' to match the plural subject. The separate spelling 'them selves' was common until the 18th century, when the single-word form 'themselves' became standard.