(used to represent an inanimate thing understood, previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context).
It has whitewall tires and red upholstery.
You can't tell a book by its cover.
(used to represent an animal understood, previously mentioned, or about to be mentioned whose sex is unknown or disregarded).
It was the largest shark ever caught off the Florida coast.
The horse had its saddle on.
(used to represent a person of previously unknown identity, in a sentence seeking, establishing, or commenting on their identity).
"I heard the phone ring—who was it?" "It was John."
Someone got hurt, but they think it was not the driver.
(used to represent a group understood or previously mentioned).
The judge told the jury it must decide two issues.
(used to represent a concept or abstract idea understood or previously stated).
It all started with my choice to walk out that door.
He has been taught to believe it all his life.
(used to represent an action or activity understood, previously mentioned, or about to be mentioned).
Since you don't like it, you don't have to go skiing.
(used as the impersonal subject of the verb to be, especially to refer to time, distance, or the weather).
It is six o'clock.
It is five miles to town.
It was foggy.
(used in statements expressing an action, condition, fact, circumstance, or situation without reference to an agent).
If it weren't for Edna, I wouldn't go.
(used in referring to something as the origin or cause of pain, pleasure, etc.).
Where does it hurt?
It looks bad for the candidate.
(used in referring to a source not specifically named or described).
It is said that love is blind.
(used in referring to the general state of affairs, circumstances, fate, or life in general).
How's it going with you?
(used as an anticipatory subject or object in order to shift emphasis).
It is necessary that you do your duty.
It is I who should apologize.
It was a very kind thing he did there.
Informal. (used instead of the pronoun its before a gerund).
It having rained for only one hour didn't help the crops.
(in children's games) the player called upon to perform some task, such as, in tag, the one who must catch the other players.
Slang.
sex appeal.
sexual intercourse.
get with it, to become active or interested.
He was warned to get with it or resign.
with it,
aware of the latest fads, fashions, etc.; up-to-date.
By grooving on teenage slang, the principal is trying to show us how with it she is, but the effect is something like seeing a mohawk on Grandma.
attentive or alert.
I'm just not with it early in the morning.
understanding or appreciative of something.
Let's face it—when it comes to originality, Hollywood isn't really with it.
Carnival Slang. being a member of the carnival.
it is what it is. see it is what it is.
it's not over till it's over. see it's not over till it's over.
have it,
to love someone.
She really has it bad for him.
to possess the requisite abilities for something; be talented, adept, or proficient.
In this business you either have it or you don't.
Italian.
Italy.
refers to a nonhuman, animal, plant, or inanimate thing, or sometimes to a small baby
it looks dangerous
give it a bone
refers to an unspecified or implied antecedent or to a previous or understood clause, phrase, etc
it is impossible
I knew it
used to represent human life or experience either in totality or in respect of the present situation
how's it going?
I've had it
to brazen it out
used as a formal subject (or object), referring to a following clause, phrase, or word
it helps to know the truth
I consider it dangerous to go on
used in the nominative as the formal grammatical subject of impersonal verbs. When it functions absolutely in such sentences, not referring to any previous or following clause or phrase, the context is nearly always a description of the environment or of some physical sensation
it is raining
it hurts
informal (used as complement with be) the crucial or ultimate point
the steering failed and I thought that was it
(in children's games) the player whose turn it is to try to touch another Compare he 1
informal
sexual intercourse
sex appeal
informal a desirable quality or ability
he's really got it
Italian
Italy
See me.
First recorded before 900; Middle English hit, hitte, it, Old English hit, neuter of he 1
First recorded in 1930–35; It(alian vermouth)
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Social Security Administration has said it is working to make that happen.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
What’s more, staying hydrated helps flush toxins, keeps organs functioning optimally and thins mucus, making it easier for lungs to stay clear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The market often experiences turmoil into October, and VIX rises with it.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
She said it was false “that an executive planted a code word to catch” Bisignano reading the email.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
She has very few belongings, but she has managed to keep her little doll Ah Choo through it all.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
It might take a little time for the $1,000 seed money to show up in some cases, financial advisers say.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
It also can slow the loss of lung function.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
It is part of a concerted effort to bring promising young talents to the Old Trafford club, which Thompson's arrival from Tottenham is part of.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
It will take time and plenty of elbow grease for SpaceX to threaten wireless providers, according to experts.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
It isn’t the safest spot, but Gertie finds comfort there.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
The company’s AI Control Tower allows customers to map and govern their AI agents across different cloud and IT systems.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Supt Oliveira also said the EU's new IT system has had bugs.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Months later, the marshal released a report proposing tweaks to the court’s IT procedures but concluding that the office was unable to find the source of the leak.
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026
Shares of software and IT firms including Accenture, Gartner, Workday and ServiceNow also retreated in IBM’s wake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
He assured us that the IT department was working overtime to try to identify the IP address of the computer used in the anonymous emails.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
When the apartment finally went quiet, I opened my Notes app and typed: “You. Can. Have. It. All.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Its "See It. Say It. Sorted." campaign was launched in 2016 and then relaunched last year, encouraging the public to report "anything unusual", either to station staff or to British Transport Police.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025
“Let. It. Go,” wrote The Sentinel on April 2 in an editorial, referring to the popular song from the Disney movie “Frozen.”
From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2023
Municipalities are working to this end, with programs such as New York City’s $2 million “Trash It. Don’t Flush It” public awareness campaign.
From Salon ● Dec. 26, 2019
I added, “Neither do I. It. . . it just had to be.”
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
Some account holders have been wondering why they haven’t gotten the $1,000 yet; others say they’ve gotten messages that their money is still being processed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Musk has promised to transition both companies into dominant forces in an AI arms race in which they are behind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
“Love Island USA,” the American version of the U.K. series, streams on Peacock and follows a cast of singles as they search for love and test their connections.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Netflix can afford longer production timelines; they just don’t want to pay up.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
They still have no idea where they are headed or what they are doing there, only that they’re involved in some sort of cultural military organization.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Freddie Mac calculates the average rate from the thousands of loan applications submitted to them, while Mortgage News Daily data surveys mortgage lenders.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Many health benefits are coming your way—some of them within just a few minutes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The outlet reported that the amicable split comes as “the distance between them and their busy schedules made it challenging to maintain their connection.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
But if it doesn’t affect them, why do Lex’s in-laws care how many books are in their house?
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
They enlist the help of a friendly American sergeant, who allows them to slip away.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Bob Lang, founder of the options-trading service Explosive Options, said an important nuance is that not every hyperscaler funds its capital expenditures with external financing.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Musk has said that the robot could be the largest product of all time, and that Tesla is preparing its production line to manufacture one million of the bots annually.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Alphabet, despite the sharp selloff on Thursday, is still primarily funding its investments with cash generated by its existing businesses, including Google Search and advertising.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Also pressuring SpaceX shares is the reality that insiders will be allowed to sell some of their holdings shortly after the company hosts its first-ever earnings call on Aug. 4.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Captain Shingo takes note of the Philippines’ supply of oil, which is something the Japanese military needs if it’s going to accomplish its vision.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Even the Cboe options, which settle for cash on their last day, are still options on the VIX futures until the day the options expire.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
They should avoid secondhand smoke and have their homes tested for radon gas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Almost $1.5 billion has been deposited in the accounts since their July 4 launch, according to the Treasury Department.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
While all damage from smoking may not be erased, quitters can add healthy years to the end of their life, which can be just as important to them as how long they live.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The people of the Philippines had their own traditions, religions, chiefdoms, and belief systems based on cultural, linguistic, and ethnic groups.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
"I believe only civil society can influence these processes. While we are here defending rights, people went out and defended theirs," she said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
"Machines cannot read our tacit knowledge and we cannot read theirs," he writes.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
Some like Wanjikũ were given their female surname at birth, but others have chosen theirs to honour their mothers.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The Japanese aren’t committing what Mr. Saad calls “civilizational seppuku,” even though the word for ritual suicide is theirs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The trolley started back up again; the next stop was theirs.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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.
