him

[ him ]

/ hɪm /

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See synonyms for him on Thesaurus.com

pronoun

the objective case of he, used as a direct or indirect object: I'll see him tomorrow. Give him the message.

Informal. (used instead of the pronoun he in the predicate after the verb to be): It's him. It isn't him.

Informal. (used instead of the pronoun his before a gerund): We were surprised by him wanting to leave.

noun

Informal. a male: Is the new baby a her or a him?

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of him

before 900; Middle English, Old English, dative of hēhe¹

usage note for him

See he¹, me.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH him

him , hymn

Words nearby him

hilt, Hilton, hilum, hilus, Hilversum, him, Himachal Pradesh, Himalayan, Himalayan cat, Himalayan guinea pig, Himalayas

Other definitions for him (2 of 2)

H.I.M.

abbreviation

His Imperial Majesty; Her Imperial Majesty.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use him in a sentence

So people want to believe that a victim deserved it, or brought it on him/herself.
How Psychology Explains the Slander of Trayvon Martin|Jesse Singal|April 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
And MSNBC (which put out a we-wish-him-well statement) was no longer pleased by Buchanan.
Buchanan: Too Radioactive for MSNBC|Howard Kurtz|February 16, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The problem is that Scott is unpopular—awkward, should-we-be-seen-with-him-in-public unpopular.
10 GOP Endorsements That Still Matter in 2012’s Presidential Election|John Avlon|December 7, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Timothy Geithner has become America's latest if-only-we-got-rid-of-him-it'd-all-be-better bogeyman.
Stop Crucifying Tim Geithner|Katty Kay|March 9, 2009|DAILY BEAST

But what I can see is that Geithner has become America's latest if-only-we-got-rid-of-him-it'd-all-be-better bogeyman.
Stop Crucifying Tim Geithner|Katty Kay|March 9, 2009|DAILY BEAST
She came close to him-came round the table till she stood within a few feet of him.
You Never Know Your Luck, Complete|Gilbert Parker
Lor, de house seems so still widout him!cant a fly scratch his ear but it starts a body.
The Minister's Wooing|Harriet Beecher Stowe
Jim's back was bleeding in several places from the stones that Jenkins had thrown at him., and I was a mass of bruises.
Beautiful Joe|Marshall Saunders
You have seen a mesmerist or biologist, or whatever-you-call-him-ist, communicate with a man under his spell without speech.
Duffels|Edward Eggleston
Look at him!and then look at yourself in the nearest mirror that reflects so poor and mean a picture of a man!
The Sorrows of Satan|Marie Corelli

British Dictionary definitions for him (1 of 2)

him

/ (hɪm, unstressed ɪm) /

pronoun (objective)

refers to a male person or animalthey needed him; she baked him a cake; not him again!

mainly US a dialect word for himself he ought to find him a wife

Word Origin for him

Old English him, dative of hē he 1

undefined him

See me 1

British Dictionary definitions for him (2 of 2)

HIM

abbreviation for

His (or Her) Imperial Majesty

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