we

[wee] / wi /

PRONOUN

nominative plural pronoun

Synonyms

STRONGEST

they you

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synonym for we?

We don’t traditionally think of we as having synonyms, but there are several situations in which it can replace—or be replaced with—another word, phrase, or series of words. _____ and I We’s main job is to serve as a way of not having to name every person in a group of two or more people. Sometimes, though, it’s best to be clear by naming them. Instead of saying We walked home together, you could say Emily, Dave, and I walked home together. all of us The phrase all of us can replace we as the subject of the sentence in some situations. This phrasing is often used to emphasize the entirety of the group that’s present, as in All of us wanted to be here to say goodbye. us Sometimes, you can reword a sentence that uses the object form us to instead use the subject form we, or vice versa. For example, instead of saying Luckily, we weren’t affected by the storm, you could say Luckily, the storm didn’t affect us. ourselves In some cases, the word ourselves is used as another way of saying we. For example, it’s common to say things like We should think for ourselves. Ourselves is also sometimes used in place of we after the words as, than, and but, as in children no older than ourselves. we ourselves Sometimes, you might use the phrase we ourselves to emphasize that something was done by the group that you’re part of as opposed to others. For example, saying We cast the deciding votes may be a neutral statement, but saying We ourselves cast the deciding votes indicates that there was some significance to the fact that it was your group who did it. you We is sometimes used in place of you in a way that’s sometimes intended to be more polite, such as when giving someone an assignment, as in We should do that by Friday. It can also be used in place of you in a way that’s condescending or sarcastic, as in We don’t want to be too hasty, do we? the royal we The word we is famously used in some cases by sovereign rulers as a formal way of saying I, as if they are speaking for the entire nation. Some people use the royal we to be funny. the editorial we This is the we that we editors use when we’re speaking in a general voice, especially as a way to avoid I, which is often seen as too personal (especially when the writer’s voice, opinion, or identity is not relevant). This is often similar in function to general use of you and one. (For an example, see the very first sentence in this section.)

What can you use instead of the word we?

In cases when you want to avoid speaking for a group, you can just say I. There are ways that you can acknowledge part of the group but not all of it. For example, you could say something like I believe—as many of us do—that this is a good idea.

What kind of pronoun is we?

We 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 (first person), to the person being addressed (second person), or the person being talked about (third person). We is categorized as a first person pronoun because it refers to the group of people who are speaking or writing—addressing others.

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:

we us our ours

"In some habitats, we are seeing trees with leaves coming off like autumn has set in... it's a self-protective measure."

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

"Please open your eyes, government. We are your people, we are part of you. So please look after us."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

"Any opportunity for us, for myself, to improve the service, then we will absolutely take that on board."

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

"When we found her, she had already died," Marlene Nino said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

A half hour later, we hear a knock on the door.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

"They said they would give us something, but there's no proof. So honestly, we're a bit upset, disappointed."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

"They will do the rewetting work for us... we should look to nature to help us cope better," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

"The Hundred has given us the chance to really transcend what's a difficult and fairly challenging macroeconomic environment and take us in a different direction," he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Our new friend moved me to think that we’re all works in progress—even those of us, like my sister, who are deep in the challenges of aging.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

When I get down to the basement, Grandma has everything set up like last time: a large cloth for us to sit on, essential oils and candles throughout the room.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

In the statement to ABC, her father said the family asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

"Homer is Greek. Homer is Anatolian. None of us is older than he is, not even our countries."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

“We enhanced our capabilities, accelerated our missile production rate and improved missile accuracy.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

He says: "We're at the start of that journey. We need to make sure that we focus on what's right for our market."

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Yet their wrong theories—and Phineas himself—will steer our knowledge of the brain in the right direction.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

"The stories he tells are about this land. The question is not whether we should claim Homer or not. His story is also ours," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

The bakery said: "Every shop that reopens means jobs restored, a unit back in use and footfall returning to the high street, which we believe serves everyone's interests: ours, theirs and the wider local economy's."

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Salzburg’s worries are our worries; its triumphs can be ours as well.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

As much as we might wish otherwise, Kylie Jenner and Taylor Swift are not like us, and we cannot measure their autonomy and power on the same scale as ours.

From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026

Were there cliffs like ours above the houses on Smith Street?

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

we

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

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