him

¹ American  

[him] / hɪm /

pronoun

1. the objective case of he, used as a direct or indirect object.

   I'll see him tomorrow. Give him the message.

2. Informal. (used instead of the pronoun he in the predicate after the verbto be ).

   It's him. It isn't him.

3. Informal. (used instead of the pronoun his before a gerund).

   We were surprised by him wanting to leave.

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noun

1. Informal. a male.

   Is the new baby a her or a him?

H.I.M. ² American  

abbreviation

1. His Imperial Majesty; Her Imperial Majesty.

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him ¹ British  

/ ɪm, hɪm /

pronoun

1. refers to a male person or animal

   they needed him

   she baked him a cake

   not him again!

2. a dialect word for himself

   he ought to find him a wife

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HIM ² British  

abbreviation

1. His ( or Her) Imperial Majesty

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Gender

See he ¹, me.

Etymology

Origin of him

before 900; Middle English, Old English, dative of hē he ¹

Example Sentences

Lawmakers should have done more to approach him about the rumors, she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The 40-year-old said the promise of a job in Malaysia was what persuaded him to get on the boat.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

When he incurred a potentially career-ending knee injury in the 1970-71 season—and was feted with a “Jerry West Night”—it left him cold.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Brevan Howard, the global macro hedge fund, paid him $750,000 for three appearances.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

His real name is Ralph, but his parents nicknamed him in Ojibwe after Animal, from the Muppets, because he’s been pounding and tapping everything in reach since he was born.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith