they

plural-noun
UK: /ðeɪ/
US: /ðeɪ/

  1. Used to refer to people, animals, or things already mentioned or known about.

    1. I saw my friends, and they went to the park later. [ ] [ ]
    2. The students finished their exams, and they were all relieved to have completed them. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used to refer to any person or people in general.

    1. They say it will rain tomorrow, so take an umbrella. [ ] [ ]
    2. In some cultures, they value respect for elders above individual achievement. [ ] [ ]

  3. Used to refer to one person whose gender is not known or specified.

    1. Someone left their bag here; I hope they come back for it. [ ] [ ]
    2. The new employee seems very enthusiastic, and they are fitting in well with the team. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

those
they verb

  1. Third person plural present of the verb to be. (informal, nonstandard)

    1. They are going to the store later. [ ] [ ]
    2. They're always complaining about something, aren't they? [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "they" in English means: Used to refer to people, animals, or things already mentioned or known about., Used to refer to any person or people in general., Used to refer to one person whose gender is not known or specified..

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

Synonyms for "they": those.

Example usage of "they": "I saw my friends, and they went to the park later.". More examples on the page.