Definitions

he

[hee, ee] / hi, i /

PRONOUN

nominative singular pronoun

Synonyms

STRONGEST

I it she sie they ve xe you ze zie

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synonym for he?

We don’t traditionally think of he as having synonyms, but there are some situations in which it can be reworded or replaced with another word or phrase. he himself Sometimes, the phrase he himself is used to emphasize that a person did something entirely by himself or that it was done by him as opposed to others. For example, saying He cast the deciding vote may be a neutral statement, but saying He himself cast the deciding vote indicates that there was some significance to the fact that it was he who did it. him Sometimes a sentence can be reworded to replace the subject he with the equivalent object him. For example, the question “When do you expect he will arrive?” could be reworded as “When do you expect him to arrive?” In this case, it’s a more natural-sounding question, but this kind of rewording can be done for a number of reasons. Him is also commonly used after linking verbs (like is and was) in sentences like It was him that I saw on the train or It is him in that picture.

What can you use instead of the word he?

He is used to stand in for more specific words, like Dr. Harris, Jacob, or the pilot. So, if there’s a chance that using he might be confusing (such as when more than one man is mentioned in the sentence), you can always use the name or title of the person instead of referring to him as he. Take this sentence, for example: “If we invite Mr. Smith’s son, do you think he would come?” The he in this sentence could refer to Mr. Smith or his son, so it may be more clear to reword it as: “If we invite Mr. Smith’s son, do you think his son would come?” (or by replacing he with Mr. Smith, if that’s what you mean). Of course, there are a number of other ways to say this, including using a specific name. In some situations, it can be considered impolite to refer to someone as he or him when that person is in your presence—especially when you haven’t already acknowledged them or addressed them by name. To avoid this, it’s always best to refer to a person by name, especially when it’s the first time you’re referring to them.

Is he a pronoun?

He is a personal pronoun. Pronouns are used as substitutes for nouns—they’re another way of referring to a noun without using a specific name. Personal pronouns are used to refer to the speaker, to the person being addressed, or the person being talked about. He is categorized as a third person pronoun (like she, they, him, her, and them), meaning it’s used to refer to anyone other than the person doing the communicating or the people being addressed. In contrast, first person pronouns (like I and me) refer to the speaker or writer themselves, and the second person pronoun you is used to address the person being spoken to or reading. He is used as a subject. Its object counterpart is him.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

he hes they him them his their theirs

When coach JJ Redick announced his starters for the Lakers’ final preseason game Friday night, he was asked if those same players would start opening night Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

However, he said it was important to emphasise that many under-30s were "making do" without clubs and instead creating their own events.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

“We knew when as he got healthier, he was going to be a threat,” St. john Bosco coach Jason Negro said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

"There are some nice pubs and small bars, though most things close around midnight," he said.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

With these limited belongings, he ventures into the streets of Manila to find a place to spend the night.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

“But clearly there’s problems—problems that are still here from 4 years ago. Simply put, hes not it.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2025

Why are people moaning about Axel Blake because hes supposedly well known?

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2022

She – there are hes, but the disciples I’ve spotted in the wild are predominantly female – is deaf to criticism, immune to self-doubt, ready to spring to action.

From The Guardian ● May 16, 2018

He has been givin the keys to the car, since hes been drafted.

From New York Times ● Dec. 14, 2014

Only I feel sorry for him because hes all alone and he has no frends.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Jenner said despite changes in needs the charity's "purpose has remained the same, to ensure that children in the Bailiwick are not disadvantaged because they lack the essentials that every child deserves".

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Asked about those companies, Aurangzeb denied that they were receiving state funding.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

If a defender comes across to mark him, they risk leaving another attacker unmarked elsewhere.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Far from being scared, Duwai said he shed a tear when they came back this year.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

Immigration officials agree to drop Joey’s case indefinitely, which means they will no longer pursue deportation.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Kenny is relishing the role, barely able to disguise his pleasure as Miranda Hart confided to him over breakfast that "you're my main faithful".

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

You can see why Olivia Rodrigo wanted to get dinner with him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Neighbors did not identify the shooter by name, but recognized him from images posted to the social media accounts of his mother, Shauntai Nickerson.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Police also declined to identify the armed bystander, saying he hadn’t given them permission to name him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

It’s almost beautiful, standing like a statue with blue sky and white clouds layered and stretching behind him.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

“Our job in the secondary was to stay deep, playoff off them and stay true to our zones.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

But when the Canadian government rejected its plan to sell them to China over concerns about animal welfare, the park's operations said they would have to be euthanised.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

In its report three weeks after the exercise, DN said the recordings came from rental vehicles -- at least two of them Deepal brand cars, made by Chinese state-controlled automaker Changan.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

Today many cousins lack the close relationships that allow them to become business partners, which is what they become the moment they jointly inherit an asset.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

With everyone talking at once, the cops are having a hard time getting them to answer questions.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

The Dolphins’ defense was up to the task against Hamilton’s highly touted quarterback Thaddeus Breaux, intercepting two of his passes and sacking him four times.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Matos detailed his list of priorities when he replaced Alan Sheehan at Swansea.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

When coach JJ Redick announced his starters for the Lakers’ final preseason game Friday night, he was asked if those same players would start opening night Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

The Swansea centre-back finds his left winger, aided by their left-back dragging the opposition winger with him.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Friends, workmates, and the curious crowd around as Dr. Williams climbs down from his carriage.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

BBC Sport spoke to figures from across the boxing world to get their predictions.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

The case highlights a paradox: while Europe's armies are bolstering their protection against espionage and hybrid threats, the vehicles they use can collect sensitive information.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

Five months after producing one of the most dramatic heavyweight fights of the year, Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley will renew their rivalry in London on Saturday.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Manoa Duwai convinced his village in 2009 to create a protected area within their customary fishing grounds on Fiji's Coral Coast after concerns over the small number and size of fish he was catching.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

Finally, just before dawn, when the sky is still dark, someone calls for the prisoners to make their way to the main building.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

“No mayor has retained the same police commissioner from the administration prior to theirs since 1964,” she said, referring to Tisch, who was elevated under the previous mayor, Eric Adams.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

"We can't live together. Our lives and theirs are completely different; we're not compatible," Cohen said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

“There’s no sense in them buying a car when they could rent one for a few hundred bucks, and it’s theirs forever.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

People rarely think about money while sipping piña coladas and sailing to exotic destinations, but cruise-line passengers might have noticed a detail that helps explain how those companies make theirs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

For weeks after each player made his debut, JonJon would talk nonstop about times he’d met each man, or games his team had played against theirs.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone

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