their boyfriend

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "their boyfriend" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a boyfriend belonging to a group of people, typically in a context where the gender of the boyfriend is not specified or when referring to multiple individuals. Example: "All of the girls in the group were excited to introduce their boyfriend at the party."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

Their boyfriend broke up with them.

The New Yorker

"They want to know: Does their boyfriend love them?

The New York Times

Everyone slaps their boyfriend once, when they deserve it".

Independent

He also began referring to himself as their boyfriend.

The Guardian - Film

Yesterday someone bought "I love you" for their boyfriend.

The Guardian

They were much less likely to have confronted their boyfriend when they discovered he had other girlfriends.

Social Science & Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

When one goes in prison, another one comes to become their 'boyfriend'boyfriend

Independent

Teenagers wanting to save a treasured text from their boyfriend/girlfriend? Maybe, but their phone is now capable of a lot of storage.

TechCrunch

A steady sexual relationship was reported by 58% of the cohort, but a part of the cohort had also had sex with other men besides their boyfriend/husband.

HIV/AIDS - Research and Palliative Care

They start to develop intimate relationships, which bring new complex issues, such as disclosure of their HIV status to their boyfriend/ girlfriend, fear of stigmatisation and discrimination, and risk of transmission of HIV infection (Thorne et al., 2002).

AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV

Did you feel your friend chose their boyfriend/girlfriend over you?

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "their boyfriend" when referring to a boyfriend shared or associated with a group of people, especially when gender neutrality is desired or the specific individuals are not named.

Common error

Avoid using "their boyfriend" when referring to a single individual's boyfriend; in such cases, use "her boyfriend" or "his boyfriend" as appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "their boyfriend" functions as a noun phrase, where "their" acts as a possessive pronoun modifying the noun "boyfriend". It identifies a male romantic partner associated with a group of people. As confirmed by Ludwig, this usage is grammatically correct and common.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

28%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "their boyfriend" is a grammatically sound and relatively common way to refer to the boyfriend of a group of individuals. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It's crucial to use it when 'their' genuinely refers to a plural subject to avoid grammatical errors. Alternatives such as "their male partner" or "their significant other" offer varying degrees of formality and gender neutrality. The phrase appears frequently in News & Media and Science domains, indicating its broad acceptability. The most common mistake is its usage when only referring to a single person's partner; in these cases, "her boyfriend" or "his boyfriend" is the correct choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the boyfriend of theirs

Changes the word order while maintaining the same meaning.

their male partner

Replaces "boyfriend" with a more neutral term, suitable for formal contexts.

their man

A more informal and colloquial substitute for "their boyfriend".

the guy they're dating

An informal way of referring to their boyfriend.

their significant other

A gender-neutral term that can be used when the gender of the partner is unknown or irrelevant.

their lover

A more intimate and potentially romantic alternative.

the person they're seeing

A general term for someone they are romantically involved with.

their fiancé

Specifies a more committed relationship status.

their spouse

Indicates a marital relationship.

their male companion

A more formal and distant way to refer to their boyfriend.

FAQs

How do I use "their boyfriend" in a sentence?

Use "their boyfriend" when referring to the boyfriend of a group of people, like in the sentence, "All the sisters introduced "their boyfriend" at the family reunion."

What's a gender-neutral alternative to "their boyfriend"?

A gender-neutral alternative is "their partner" or "their significant other", which works regardless of the partner's gender.

When should I use "her boyfriend" instead of "their boyfriend"?

Use "her boyfriend" when referring to the boyfriend of a single female. For example, "She introduced "her boyfriend" to her parents."

Is it grammatically correct to use "their boyfriend"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct when "their" refers to a group of people. For example, "The team members and "their boyfriend" planned a surprise party."