themselves

American  

[thuhm-selvz, them-] / ðəmˈsɛlvz, ˌðɛm- /

pronoun

1. a reflexive form of plural they used as the direct or indirect object of a verb or the object of a preposition.

   They washed themselves quickly. The painters gave themselves a week to finish the work. The noisy passengers drew attention to themselves.

2. an emphatic form of them or they.

   The authors themselves left the theater. The contract was written by the partners themselves.

3. a reflexive form of singular they used as the direct or indirect object of a verb or the object of a preposition.

   1. (used to refer to a generic or unspecified person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context).

      No one who ignores the law can call themselves a good citizen.

   2. (used to refer to a specific or known person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context).

      I want to help my friend who is harming themselves.

   3. (used to refer to a nonbinary or gender-nonconforming person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context).

      Ash introduced themselves to the job recruiter.

4. (used in place of they or them after as, than, orbut ).

   no soldiers braver than themselves; As for the entertainers, everyone got paid but themselves.

5. their usual, normal, characteristic selves.

   After a hot meal and a few hours' rest, they were themselves again.

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themselves British  

/ ðəmˈsɛlvz /

pronoun

1. 1. the reflexive form of they or them

   2. (intensifier)

      the team themselves voted on it

2. (preceded by a copula) their normal or usual selves

   they don't seem themselves any more

3. Also: themself.  not_standard a reflexive form of an indefinite antecedent such as one, whoever, or anybody

   everyone has to look after themselves

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Usage

See myself, they.

Etymology

Origin of themselves

First recorded in 1300–50; them + selves; replacing themself, Middle English thamself; self

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

themselves

He says its normal for families to worry about their loved ones at war, and that the troops are well prepared for the situation they find themselves in.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

But still she had the courage to tell her own story, complete with her own bad decision to self-medicate, in the hope that it would help other mothers struggling just to feel like themselves again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

But the most revealing part of the BBC’s filing isn’t the subpoenas themselves — it’s the account of what happened when the network tried to serve them.

From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026

The president of Buenos Aires' Banco Provincia, Juan Cuattromo, rejects the notion that Argentines are themselves to blame for getting in over their heads.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

The fox and the badger found themselves back at the window.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman