we
Americanpronoun
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us,
objective
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our,
possessive
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ours
possessive
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nominative plural of I.
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(used to denote oneself and another or others).
We have two children. In this block we all own our own houses.
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(used to denote people in general).
the marvels of science that we take for granted.
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(used to indicate a particular profession, nationality, political party, etc., that includes the speaker or writer).
We in the medical profession have moral responsibilities.
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Also called the royal we. (used by a sovereign, or by other high officials and dignitaries, in place of I in formal speech).
We do not wear this crown without humility.
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Also called the editorial we. (used by editors, writers, etc., to avoid the too personal or specific I or to represent a collective viewpoint).
As for this column, we will have nothing to do with shady politicians.
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you (used familiarly, often with mild condescension or sarcasm, as in addressing a child, a patient, etc.).
We know that's naughty, don't we? It's time we took our medicine.
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(used in the predicate following a copulative verb).
It is we who should thank you.
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(used in apposition with a noun, especially for emphasis).
We Americans are a sturdy lot.
pronoun
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refers to the speaker or writer and another person or other people
we should go now
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refers to all people or people in general
the planet on which we live
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when used by editors or other writers, and formerly by monarchs, a formal word for I 1
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( as noun )
he uses the royal we in his pompous moods
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informal used instead of you with a tone of persuasiveness, condescension, or sarcasm
how are we today?
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of we
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English wē; cognate with Dutch wij, German wir, Old Norse vēr, Gothic weis
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.
See Examples For:
When the Taliban regained power, he became a governor - first in the province of Bamiyan, then when we met him in late June, in Sheberghan city in Jawzjan province.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
“We cannot accept what they’ve offered, and we will not give what they’ve asked,” Carney told reporters Saturday, vowing to retaliate with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. goods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
"I know all the roads and streets very well… we had all the information we needed about Kabul and its alleys," he says.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
“And so we kind of backfilled the defensive part of it. But to lose the bat, that’s a big loss.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
If we were cattle, we’d be heading all the way to Kansas.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
US Vice President JD Vance admitted the plan was a "delicate dance" because Iran will "try to apply economic pressure to us".
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
His superior, Abdul Samad, shows us an unmarked graveyard, saying his father is buried here, killed fighting for the Taliban.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
"The sea of black and white shirts and scarves, alongside colours from so many other clubs, reminded us how much Kevin meant to the footballing world," they said.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Cure us before it kills us, I guess.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
All of us are hot, sweaty, choking on lint.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
“The company failed to make an offer that addressed the issues weighing on the minds of our members, especially job security,” Fain said Sunday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Then, he told the world the Taliban government would allow women to work and study "within our frameworks" and they would "be very active" in society.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
"It is time for us to prioritise young British workers, and that is what our policy is about," Tice said on Sunday.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
“For now we’re bringing our case,” Bonta said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
And no one here on the south side would be shocked if any of these symbols were found on members of our county sheriff’s department.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
It’s offensive because cases like ours could have been settled for significantly less than what the verdict is.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
"Only studies like ours offer an overview of these traditions which bear witness to genuine know-how and diverse traditions."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
I have four kids — two are mine and two are my wife’s — but they are all ours in every meaningful sense.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Liam on Marcus Rashford's future at United: I love Marcus, and the fact he is one of ours, and I would love him to come back and be as good as he was for us.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
There are other meetings like ours being held, petitions being passed around, and calls for action.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
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.
