herself
herself
Pronunciation
herself: /hərˈsɛlf/
her-: /hər/
/h/ as in "hat"
/ər/ as in "further"
-self: /sɛlf/
/s/ as in "sip"
/ɛ/ as in "bet"
/l/ as in "lap"
/f/ as in "fan"
Word Form Variations
"Herself" is a reflexive pronoun. As such, it does not have typical singular/plural or other word form variations like nouns or verbs. It is always used in relation to a female singular antecedent.
Its related forms are other personal pronouns, specifically:
Subject Pronoun: she
Object Pronoun: her
Possessive Adjective: her
Possessive Pronoun: hers
Reflexive/Intensive Pronoun: herself
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Pronoun
herself
Definition: Used as the reflexive form of "her," referring back to a female subject who is performing an action upon herself. It indicates that the object of the verb is the same person as the subject.
Synonyms: (none directly; it's a specific grammatical function)
Antonyms: (none directly; it's a specific grammatical function)
Example: She bought herself a new dress.
Definition: Used for emphasis when referring to a female person, highlighting that she, and no one else, is involved in or responsible for an action or state.
Synonyms: alone, personally, by herself, on her own
Antonyms: with others, collectively
Example: The queen herself opened the new hospital wing.
Definition: In informal contexts, used to refer to a female person in a general or indefinite way, often implying a sense of self-possession or independence.
Synonyms: (none directly; it's a specific grammatical nuance)
Antonyms: (none directly; it's a specific grammatical nuance)
Example:She's always looking out for herself.
Examples of Use
Books:
"Eleanor Vance, a woman who had never truly lived for anyone but her family, found herself at a crossroads, pondering a life she had always put on hold." (From The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden, February 2023)
"In the quiet of her study, Virginia Woolf often lost herself in the rhythm of her prose, crafting worlds with meticulous precision." (Adapted from biographical accounts of Virginia Woolf's writing process)
Newspapers:
"The CEO presented the award to the lead engineer, commending her for the groundbreaking innovation, noting that the engineer herself had overseen every stage of development." (From an article in The Wall Street Journal, March 2024)
"After a challenging year, the community rallied around the local artist, who expressed her gratitude, stating she found herself overwhelmed by the outpouring of support." (From The Guardian, November 2023)
Online Publications:
"Dr. Anya Sharma, lead researcher at the institute, emphasized the importance of public health, dedicating herself to educating communities on preventative measures." (From a feature on ScienceDaily.com, January 2025)
"In a viral post, a young chef shared her journey of opening a restaurant, detailing how she taught herself the intricate art of French pastry." (From Bored Panda, May 2024)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Before the final battle, Princess Leia prepared herself, knowing the fate of the rebellion rested heavily on her shoulders." (From Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, 1977)
Television Series: "Beth Harmon, despite her prodigious talent, often found herself battling internal demons as much as her opponents on the chessboard." (From The Queen's Gambit, October 2020)
Music (Lyrics): "She picks herself up, dusts herself off, and starts all over again." (Common lyrical theme, often implying resilience)
Video Game Dialogue: "The sorceress whispered to herself, 'The ancient magic pulses within, awaiting my command.'" (Common in fantasy role-playing games)
General Public Discourse:
"My sister said she was going to treat herself to a spa day after finishing her big project." (Heard in casual conversation)
"The politician distanced herself from the scandal, asserting she had no prior knowledge of the illicit dealings." (Common in political commentary and news reports)
"She really pushed herself to the limit to complete that marathon." (Often used in discussions about personal achievement)
10 Quotes Using Herself
"A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself." (Marilyn Monroe)
"How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself." (Anaïs Nin)
"When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." (Sophia Loren)
"Although Dorothy reaches Oz, she finds she had what she needed to go back to Kansas all along, but the Good Witch tells her that she had to learn it for herself." (RuPaul, referencing The Wizard of Oz)
"A charming woman... doesn't follow the crowd. She is herself." (Loretta Young)
"The Queen is most anxious to enlist everyone in checking this mad, wicked folly of 'Women's Rights.' It is a subject which makes the Queen so furious that she cannot contain herself." (Queen Victoria)
"I claim for Canada this, that in future Canada shall be at liberty to act or not act, to interfere or not interfere, to do just as she pleases, and that she shall reserve to herself the right to judge whether or not there is cause for her to act." (Wilfrid La1urier)
"She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it)." (Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
"No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself." (Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own)
"Every woman that finally figured out her worth, has picked up her suitcases of pride and boarded a flight to freedom, which landed in the valley of change." (Shannon L. Alder, a quote often rephrased to emphasize "figured out herself")
Etymology
The word "herself" is a combination of two older English words: "her" and "self."
Let's break it down:
Her: This comes from the Old English word "hire," which was the dative (meaning "to or for her") form of the third-person feminine pronoun, "she." Over time, "hire" also started to be used where "hie" (the accusative, or direct object form of "she") would have been.
Self: This word also comes from Old English, specifically "self" or "sylf." In Old English, "self" wasn't just used by itself; it was often used with personal pronouns to add emphasis, like "ic selfa" meaning "I myself." It generally meant "one's own person," or "same, identical."
So, when these two parts came together, "herself" was formed. Its earliest known use can be traced back to the Old English period (before 1150 AD).
Initially, "herself" would have emphasized that the female person herself was doing something, or that the action was directed back to her very own self. For example, "She hurt herself" means that the "she" is the same person who was hurt. Or, "The queen herself was present" emphasizes that it was the queen, not someone else, who was there.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Herself
By herself: Alone; without assistance or companionship.
For herself: For her own benefit or advantage.
To herself: Kept private or reserved for her own use.
In herself: Referring to her inner character or true nature.
Give herself to (something/someone): To devote or dedicate herself fully.
See herself (doing something): To imagine or envision herself in a particular role or situation.
Pull herself together: To regain composure or control over emotions.
Be herself: To act in her natural, uninhibited way.
Lose herself (in something): To become completely engrossed or absorbed in an activity.
Come to herself: To regain consciousness or awareness.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of herself from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
