Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

oneself

American  
[wuhn-self, wuhnz-] / wʌnˈsɛlf, wʌnz- /
Archaic, one's self

pronoun

  1. a person's self (used for emphasis or reflexively).

    One often hurts oneself accidentally.

idioms

  1. by oneself,

    1. without a companion; alone.

    2. through one's own efforts; unaided.

      to become a millionaire by oneself.

  2. be oneself,

    1. to be in one's normal state of mind or physical condition.

    2. to be unaffected and sincere.

      One makes more friends by being oneself than by putting on airs.

  3. come to oneself, Also come to one's self

    1. Also come to. to regain consciousness.

    2. to regain one's self-possession; come to one's senses.

oneself British  
/ wʌnˈsɛlf /

pronoun

    1. the reflexive form of one one

    2. (intensifier)

      one doesn't do that oneself

  2. (preceded by a copula) one's normal or usual self

    one doesn't feel oneself after such an experience
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
oneself More Idioms  

  1. see avail (oneself) of; be oneself; beside oneself; burn (oneself) out; by oneself; cover one's ass (oneself); crank (oneself) up; do oneself in; excuse me (oneself); exert oneself; explain oneself; express oneself; fall all over (oneself); feel like oneself; find oneself; flatter oneself; fling oneself at; forget oneself; full of oneself; get a grip on (oneself); give a good account of oneself; give of oneself; give (oneself) away; give oneself up; have oneself; hear oneself think; help oneself; keep to oneself; kick oneself; knock oneself out; law unto oneself; lay (oneself) open; leave (oneself) open; let (oneself) go; live with (oneself); lose oneself in; make a laughingstock of oneself; make a name for oneself; make an exhibition of oneself; make a nuisance of oneself; make a pig of oneself; make oneself at home; make oneself scarce; not oneself; paint oneself into a corner; plume oneself; pride oneself on; pull oneself together; pull oneself up; put oneself out; relieve oneself; repeat oneself; shift for oneself; shoot oneself in the foot; spread oneself too thin; suit oneself; sure of oneself; take it upon oneself; throw oneself at; tie oneself in knots; trouble one's head (oneself) about.

Etymology

Origin of oneself

First recorded in 1540–50; shortened form of one's self

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“His central idea was that to live is to act, transforming oneself and the world around,” Ms. Riskin writes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

There are no legal requirements about how and where bodies should be stored, and no qualifications are needed to establish oneself as a funeral director.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

Creation comes naturally to both of them; playing with personal aesthetics is a means of liberating oneself from the status quo.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

"The first idea is to define oneself as a nation," he said, adding nations need "a culture of their own."

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

And as the cold increased, so did the special temptation of concentration-camp life: the temptation to think only of oneself.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.