on itself

USAGE SUMMARY

'on itself' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You use it to indicate that something applies only to itself and does not apply to other things. For example: The mountain stands alone, relying only on itself for support.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It loops in on itself.

The New York Times - Tech

It circles back on itself.

The New York Times

But it insisted on itself.

The New Yorker

The attention fed on itself.

The New York Times

And clutter feeds on itself.

The Economist

Crucially, doubt feeds on itself.

The Economist

The crisis fed on itself.

The Economist

Wall Street gets bearish on itself.

The New York Times

This is a city divided on itself.

The New York Times

The region has collapsed in on itself.

The New Yorker

And the effect will feed on itself.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on itself" to clearly indicate a self-referential action or state, ensuring the context makes the reflexive relationship unambiguous.

Common error

Avoid using "on itself" when the intended meaning is merely 'by itself' or 'alone'. Ensure there is a genuine action or state being directed back to the subject.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on itself" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase, often indicating a reflexive action or a state of being directed inward. Ludwig's AI analysis confirms its correctness and usability, highlighting its role in expressing self-reference.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

25%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "on itself" is a versatile prepositional phrase used to denote a reflexive action or a state directed inward. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across diverse contexts. Predominantly featured in news and academic writing, "on itself" serves to emphasize self-reference or the application of an action back to its source. While "on itself" is generally neutral, ensuring contextual clarity prevents misinterpretations. Be mindful to distinguish it from phrases indicating simple solitude, which would be 'by itself' or 'alone'.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

back on itself

Emphasizes the return or reversion to a previous state or condition, adding a sense of circularity.

upon itself

A more formal and emphatic way of expressing that something is acting upon its own nature or characteristics.

referring to itself

A more explicit way of stating that something is self-referential, removing any ambiguity.

inwardly directed

Focuses on the internal orientation or action, suggesting a turn away from external influences.

self-referential

Highlights the property of something referring to itself, particularly in a conceptual or abstract sense.

internally focused

Highlights the emphasis on internal elements or processes rather than external ones.

reflexively

Indicates that an action is performed on itself by the subject; a grammatical and conceptual parallel.

turned inward

Stresses the direction of focus or energy towards the interior or the self.

self-contained

Emphasizes independence and completeness within itself, lacking external influence or support.

circularly defined

Describes a definition that refers back to itself, often used critically to indicate a lack of clarity.

FAQs

How can I use "on itself" in a sentence?

You can use "on itself" to indicate that something is acting or reflecting back on itself, like "The snake coiled "back on itself"" or "The argument turned "in on itself"."

What's a simpler way to explain what "on itself" means?

It means that an action or state is directed or focused back onto the same subject or entity, rather than affecting something else.

Is it ever incorrect to use "on itself"?

Yes, using "on itself" is incorrect if you mean 'by itself' or 'alone'. The phrase implies a reflexive action, so it only works when something is truly acting upon itself.

What are some alternatives to "on itself" that I can use?

Depending on the context, you might use phrases like "referring to itself", "self-referential", or "reflexively".