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you

[yoo, yoo, yuh] / ju, jʊ, jə /
PRONOUN
nominative plural pronoun
Synonyms
STRONGEST
they we
PRONOUN
nominative singular pronoun
Synonyms
STRONGEST
I he it she sie they ve xe ze zie
PRONOUN
objective singular pronoun
Synonyms
WEAK
her him hir it me them ver xem zir
PRONOUN
objective plural pronoun
Synonyms
STRONGEST
them us
NOUN
unspecified individual
Synonyms
STRONGEST
anyone one

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synonym for you?
We don’t traditionally think of you as having synonyms, but there are several situations in which it can replace—or be replaced with—another word, phrase, or series of words. yourself In some cases, the word yourself (plural, yourselves) is used as another way of saying you. For example, it’s common to say things like You should think for yourself (which avoids using it twice, as in You should think for you). Yourself is also sometimes used in place of you after the words as, than, and but, as in I was a girl no older than yourself.  one You is sometimes used not to refer to the listener or reader but to any person in general, much like how the word one is sometimes used, as in You never know what might happen. A more formal way of saying this is One never knows what might happen.  y’all and you-all There are a few alternative ways of saying you when it’s plural. The term y’all—a popular shortening of you-all—can be used when referring to multiple people, as in Y’all are my favorite people, or to a person who represents a group or organization, as in Are y’all going to be open on Saturday? These terms (and similar ones like you guys) are typically used in informal communication.  yous and youse A plural form of you that is considered nonstandard is yous (or youse) as in Where are yous going? ye and thou Archaic forms of the word you include ye and thou.  u You might use the letter u as a substitute for you in very informal communications, such as text messages or online posts, as in i miss u!
What can you use instead of the word you?
There may be some situations when you want to avoid using the word you in a piece of writing, especially in more formal or technical writing, such as a scientific report. In these cases, you can reword things to avoid addressing the reader altogether. For example, instead of saying You’ll see this increase illustrated in the graph below, you could say This increase is illustrated in the graph below.   In interpersonal communication, it is often recommended to state grievances without placing blame on the person you’re talking to. Sometimes, the best way to do this is to avoid using the word you. For example, instead of saying You always leave your socks on the floor, try a more tactful phrasing, like It’s frustrating to me when I find socks on the floor.
What kind of pronoun is you?
You 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.  You is categorized as a second person pronoun, meaning that it’s used to address the person being spoken to or reading. In contrast, first person pronouns (like I and me) refer to the speaker or writer themselves, and third person pronouns (like he, she, they, him, her, and them) refer to anyone other than the person doing the communicating or the people being addressed.  In literature, second-person point of view is a form of narration in which the events of the story are told using the second person. This technique (using you and its other forms) can express the action as if it’s happening from the point of view of the reader (though it may have other effects). It is far less commonly used than first-person point of view and third-person point of view.  Unlike many other personal pronouns, you does not change forms depending on whether it’s being used as a subject (as in You handled that nicely) or an object (as in The doctor will examine you now). In contrast, the pronouns I, he, she, and they are used as subjects, while their object counterparts are me, him, her, and them.

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:

To see what happens when you put thousands of them on a ship together, our travel columnist Dawn Gilbertson went on the annual Hallmark Christmas Cruise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

“But, you know, I got things to do. I gotta buy potting soil, and, you know, plant a plant.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

One you definitely didn’t hear about is the fuddiest, duddiest, most unlikely seller of a huge slug of GameStop shares after it rallied several thousand percent—Dimensional Fund Advisors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

I told her in my broken Portuguese that no, thank you, I was just looking.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

“I know, Pa. But I’m counting on you to look after Anna.”

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

"You'd be surprised by how many people are willing to help, but I get so few thank yous," she says.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

The black-clad, 23-year-old singer-songwriter barely spoke to the audience, uttering only a couple of thank yous during one of two solo performances at the venue this past weekend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

The yous who live lives of expansiveness and inclusion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2025

They kissed and exchanged I love yous; Joe shuffled to the door.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023

I think you run out of I love yous.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

A new kind of sector ETF concentrates even more of your money in the top stocks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

When you launch a sports program at the high school level and find a way to reach a Southern Section championship game in your inaugural season, that’s impressive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

"If you're from privilege, your biggest problem is what to fill a page with. If you're not, so much of your struggle is about the need to survive."

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

Buy the car, if you get the OK from your doctor and insurance company.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026

Without your cerebellum, you couldn't walk upright, touch your finger to your nose, or turn this page.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Their spice cabinet becomes yours; their stove, your stove; their neighborhood grocery store, your little errand.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026

“When we retire, we’ll have all these incredible stories and incredible memories, and yours will be at the top of it all,” Witkoff said in comments directly to the Russian leader.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

While we’re on the subject of shirts, let me ask about yours, Michael.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

It might feel bad seeing other kids being shuttled from hobby to hobby, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing a bad job as a parent because yours must pick one at a time.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

“As I explained,” said Roz, “if you state yours, I will state mine.”

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

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