their arms

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "their arms" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the arms of a group of people or individuals in a possessive context. Example: "The children raised their arms in excitement when the parade passed by."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

their arms, their legs".

The New Yorker

Their arms began to fly.

The New York Times

The Sunnis cross their arms.

The New York Times

Their arms were folded.

The New Yorker

Their arms are bare.

The New York Times

Six raise their arms.

The Guardian

Their arms are huge.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Their arms interlocked.

The New York Times

Some had bandages on their arms.

The New York Times - Magazine

They open their arms to the sky.

The New Yorker

Then they all raised their arms together.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "their arms" to refer to the arms belonging to a group of people or entities. Ensure the context clearly establishes who "their" refers to, avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "there" or "they're" in place of "their" when indicating possession. "There" indicates a location, and "they're" is a contraction of "they are". For example, "The children raised "their arms"", not "The children raised there arms" or "The children raised they're arms".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "their arms" functions as a possessive determiner + noun. It indicates that the arms belong to a group or multiple entities, specifying ownership or association. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is commonly and correctly used in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "their arms" is a grammatically sound phrase used to denote possession of arms by a group of individuals or entities. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It is versatile and appears frequently across various contexts, particularly in news, media, and scientific writing. When using the phrase, ensure clarity in specifying to whom "their" refers and avoid confusion with homophones like "there" or "they're". Alternatives such as "the arms of them" or descriptive terms like "folded arms" can be used depending on the context to enhance precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

his arms

Changes the possessive pronoun to refer to a single male individual.

her arms

Changes the possessive pronoun to refer to a single female individual.

my arms

Changes the possessive pronoun to refer to the speaker's own arms.

your arms

Changes the possessive pronoun to refer to the arms of the person being addressed.

our arms

Changes the possessive pronoun to refer to the arms of a group including the speaker.

the arms of them

Rephrases using a more formal construction with 'of them'.

those arms

Uses a demonstrative pronoun to point out specific arms.

upper limbs

Uses a more technical term for arms.

outstretched arms

Focuses on the action of extending the arms.

folded arms

Specifies a particular posture of the arms.

FAQs

How can I use "their arms" in a sentence?

"Their arms" is used to describe the arms belonging to a group of people or things. For example, "The dancers moved "their arms" gracefully during the performance."

What is a synonym for "their arms"?

While there isn't a direct synonym, you could rephrase it depending on the context. Alternatives include "the arms of them" or specifying a posture like "folded "arms"" if that's relevant.

Is it ever incorrect to use "their arms"?

It would be incorrect if the arms belong to a singular entity. In that case, you would use "his arm", "her arm", or "its arm" depending on the subject.

What's the difference between "their arms" and "there are arms"?

"Their arms" indicates possession, showing that the arms belong to a group. "There are arms" indicates existence, stating that arms are present in a particular location or situation. Be careful not to confuse "their", "there" and "they're".