itself

pronoun
UK: /ɪtˈself/
US: /ɪtˈself/

  1. Used to refer to a thing, animal, or situation that has already been mentioned as the subject of the clause.

    1. The cat washed itself carefully. [ ] [ ]
    2. The project, in and of itself, presented numerous challenges for the team. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used to emphasize a particular thing, animal, or situation.

    1. The house itself is quite old. [ ] [ ]
    2. The journey itself proved to be more rewarding than the destination itself. [ ] [ ]

  3. Without any help.

    1. The door opened by itself. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company prides itself on completing the task itself without external assistance. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

alone unaided
itself adverb

  1. Used for emphasis, often to suggest that something is being considered on its own, without considering other things connected to it.

    1. The idea itself isn't bad. [ ] [ ]
    2. The meal itself was delicious, even if the service was a bit slow. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "itself" in English means: Used to refer to a thing, animal, or situation that has already been mentioned as the subject of the clause., Used to emphasize a particular thing, animal, or situation., Without any help..

The phonetic transcription of "itself" is /ɪtˈself/ in British English and /ɪtˈself/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "itself": alone, unaided.

Example usage of "itself": "The cat washed itself carefully.". More examples on the page.