oneself
Americanpronoun
idioms
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by oneself,
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without a companion; alone.
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through one's own efforts; unaided.
to become a millionaire by oneself.
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be oneself,
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to be in one's normal state of mind or physical condition.
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to be unaffected and sincere.
One makes more friends by being oneself than by putting on airs.
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come to oneself, Also come to one's self
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Also come to. to regain consciousness.
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to regain one's self-possession; come to one's senses.
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pronoun
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.
Playing oneself is more difficult than it seems.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
Judge Winmill observed that the nation’s history and traditions recognized “a right to self-protection and self-preservation” permitting otherwise unlawful acts “when necessary to prevent harm to oneself or another.”
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
The idea of manifesting oneself through one’s work was part of the West Coast feminist movement.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
But the real danger is indifference—and indifference is a product of not permitting oneself to turn away in reflection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
One could presumably drive oneself to distraction in this way.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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.
