Ourselves - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Ourselves is a reflexive pronoun referring to the speaker and at least one other person as the object of their own action. It emphasizes identity or shared experience, e.g., We taught ourselves.
Definition:
Reflexive form of 'we,' referring to the speaker and at least one other person.
Synonyms:
us, we, our own selves
Part of Speech:
pronoun
Antonyms:
others, them, outsiders
Common Collocations:
by ourselves, for ourselves, among ourselves, between ourselves
Derivatives:
ourself (archaic), self (related)
Usage Tips:
Use 'ourselves' when the subject and object are the same group including the speaker.
Common Phrases:
by ourselves, between ourselves, all by ourselves
Etymology:
Derived from Old English 'ūre selfum,' combining 'our' and 'selves.'
Examples:
- 1. We cooked dinner for ourselves last night.
- 2. Let’s keep this secret between ourselves.
- 3. We must rely on ourselves to solve this problem.
- 4. After the meeting, we congratulated ourselves on a job well done.