himself
himself
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "himself" is /hɪmˈsɛlf/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
him: /hɪm/
/h/ as in "hat"
/ɪ/ as in "sit"
/m/ as in "mat"
self: /sɛlf/
/s/ as in "sun"
/ɛ/ as in "bet"
/l/ as in "let"
/f/ as in "fan"
Word Form Variations
"Himself" is a reflexive pronoun. As such, it does not have traditional singular/plural or gender variations in the same way nouns or regular pronouns do. It specifically refers back to a male subject or a subject of unspecified gender when "he" or "him" would be used.
The corresponding reflexive pronouns for other subjects are:
Singular:
myself
yourself
herself
itself
Plural:
ourselves
yourselves
themselves
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Pronoun
Definition 1: Used as the object of a verb or preposition when the subject of the verb or preposition is "he" or "a male person." It emphasizes that the action is performed by or directed towards the male subject himself, rather than someone else.
Synonyms: n/a (as it's a specific pronoun)
Antonyms: n/a (as it's a specific pronoun)
Definition 2 (idiomatic/for emphasis): Used to emphasize that a male person did something personally, independently, or without help from others. It can also imply a sense of personal involvement or responsibility.
Synonyms: personally, alone, by himself, independently
Antonyms: with assistance, with help, collectively, by proxy
Examples of Use
Books: "He often found himself lost in thought, pondering the mysteries of the universe." (From a work of fiction, demonstrating a reflexive action).
Newspapers: "The mayor himself addressed the crowd, promising swift action on the new housing initiative." (Reuters, March 2024).
Online Publications: "Elon Musk often refers to himself as a technoking, a title that reflects his unconventional approach to leadership." (The Verge, February 2023).
Entertainment Mediums (Film Dialogue): "He had to convince himself that everything would be alright, even as the walls crumbled around him." (Dialogue from an action film).
Entertainment Platforms (Song Lyrics): "He built a world around himself, a fortress made of dreams and fears." (Lyrics from a popular song).
General Public Discourse: "When asked about the project, John said he was quite proud of himself for finishing it ahead of schedule."
10 Quotes Using Himself
"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." - Oscar Wilde
"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool." - William Shakespeare
"He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still." - Lao Tzu
"No man is free who is not master of himself." - Epictetus
"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories." - Plato
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." - Leo Tolstoy
"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe." - Marcus Aurelius
"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." - Thomas Paine
"The husband who decides to surprise his wife is often very much surprised himself." - Voltaire
"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there." - C.S. Lewis
Etymology
The word "himself" has a pretty clear and long history!
It comes from Old English, which is the earliest form of the English language, used before the year 1150. Back then, it was "him selfum."
You can think of "himself" as simply being two older words put together:
"him": This was already a form of the pronoun "he," specifically in the dative or accusative case (meaning it was used when "he" was the object of a verb or preposition, like "to him" or "saw him").
"self": In Old English, "self" (or "sylf" or "seolf") meant "one's own person," "own," "personal," or "identical." It could even be used on its own after a pronoun to add emphasis, like saying "I myself" or "my own self."
So, "himself" basically meant "he, his very own self" or "the very same male person." Its first known use was to either emphasize that the action was being done by that specific male person and no one else, or to show that the action was directed back at that same male person (what we now call a reflexive pronoun).
Phrases + Idioms Containing Himself
By himself: Meaning alone, without assistance.
For himself: Meaning for his own benefit or advantage.
To himself: Meaning to keep something private, or to speak to oneself.
In spite of himself: Meaning despite his own intentions or efforts, often referring to an involuntary action or feeling.
To be himself: Meaning to act in one's natural or characteristic way.
He got himself into a mess: Meaning he caused problems for himself.
He prides himself on...: Meaning he is very proud of a particular skill or achievement.
He sees himself as...: Meaning he perceives his own identity or role in a certain way.
To pull himself together: Meaning to regain control of his emotions or composure.
To do it himself: Meaning to perform a task personally rather than delegating it.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of himself from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
