themselves

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "themselves" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the word when referring to a plural subject in the third person. For example, "The students decided to finish their projects themselves."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They'll never know what it means to have a private moment to themselves an unrecorded, unanalysed thought.

The Guardian

But in general women should be free to decide what to wear for themselves".

The Guardian

To move Europe away from the brink, voters and politicians on all sides need to stop asking themselves what's fair and start asking themselves what's possible.

The Economist

And while the Yale economist Robert Shiller has long advocated using markets to help individuals protect themselves against things like declining house prices or future unemployment, the chances of that happening now seem smaller than ever.

The Economist

Then, instead of looking at the fundamentals of the securities themselves, they simply assumed that they could rely on the credit ratings the ratings agencies bestowed, even though those agencies' conflicts of interest were well-known.

The Economist

Ditto Leicester at Stoke and QPR at Everton and, indeed, Everton themselves: with Champions League qualification up for grabs, will Roberto Martínez commit to the Cup as fully as he did with Wigan?

The Guardian - Sport

"Putting on a show or a concert with all their friends there and their family, it makes them feel good about themselves".

The Guardian

"Even as he was encouraging young people to reach for greater heights for themselves, he was working to attain his own educational goals," the school said.

The Guardian

There is also a telephone to which only the band's ex-members have the number: if it rings and a museum-goer picks it up, they will find themselves in the disconcerting position of holding a conversation with one of Abba while standing in front of a vast floor-to ceiling photograph of Abba.

The Guardian - Music

It supports them in exam stress and [instead of panicking] it allows them to put space between themselves and a difficult question".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

For all their moaning about Chinooks or body armour, they make the decisions on where to spend (and overspend) the money, sorting it out between themselves before going to elected ministers.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the antecedent of the pronoun "themselves" is clearly plural to avoid grammatical errors. For example, use "The students completed the assignment themselves" instead of "Each student completed the assignment themselves".

Common error

Avoid using "themselves" to refer to a singular antecedent. Although sometimes used to avoid gendering a subject, it's still considered grammatically incorrect in formal writing. Use "themself" (though less common) or rephrase the sentence.

Linguistic Context

The pronoun "themselves" primarily functions as a reflexive or intensive pronoun. As Ludwig AI confirms, it refers back to a plural antecedent, indicating that the subjects are acting upon themselves or emphasizing their involvement. Examples show it in diverse sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "themselves" is a versatile pronoun used reflexively or intensively with plural antecedents. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically sound and widely accepted. While its traditional usage is limited to plural subjects, contemporary applications occasionally extend to singular, gender-neutral contexts. Predominantly found in news and media, its prevalence underscores its relevance across various communication styles. Remember to ensure correct antecedent agreement to maintain grammatical precision when employing "themselves" in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

by themselves

Highlights solitude or acting without help.

on their own

Emphasizes independence and lack of assistance.

without any help

Explicitly mentions the absence of support.

without assistance

Formally states the lack of help received.

of their own accord

Highlights voluntary and unprompted action.

unaided

Focuses on the absence of external support.

of their own volition

Stresses a deliberate and independent choice.

under their own steam

Implies self-sufficiency and internal motivation.

personally

Indicates a direct, individual action rather than a group effort.

single-handedly

Emphasizes individual effort and accomplishment.

FAQs

How to use "themselves" in a sentence?

"Themselves" is used as a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object of a verb are the same and plural. For instance, "They organized the event themselves" or as an intensive pronoun for emphasis, like "The athletes, themselves, funded the trip".

What is the difference between "themselves" and "themself"?

"Themselves" is a plural pronoun, while "themself" is a singular pronoun. Traditionally, "themself" wasn't widely accepted, but it's increasingly used to refer to a single person of unspecified gender, though rephrasing the sentence is often preferable in formal contexts.

What can I say instead of "they did it themselves"?

You can use alternatives such as "they did it "on their own"", "they did it "by themselves"", or "they did it "without assistance" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "themselves" to refer to a singular person?

Traditionally, no. However, in contemporary usage, "themselves" is sometimes used to refer to a singular person when the gender is unknown or non-binary. While increasingly accepted in informal contexts, it's best to rephrase for clarity and grammatical correctness in formal writing.