Definitions

it

[it] / ɪt /

Part of Speech:

All (3) Pronoun (2) Noun (1)

Jump To:

nominative singular pronoun pron.
objective singular pronoun pron.
sex appeal n.

PRONOUN

nominative singular pronoun

Synonyms

STRONGEST

I he she sie they ve xe you ze zie

PRONOUN

objective singular pronoun

Synonyms

WEAK

her him hir me them ver xem you zir

NOUN

sex appeal

Synonyms

STRONGEST

animal magnetism sex appeal

STRONG

attraction charisma charm

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for it?

The pronoun it is commonly used to refer to something without naming it. The plural pronoun they can be used to refer to multiple things in this way, as can the object form them. The word it is sometimes used to refer to an animal, and in some cases it can refer to an unknown person, such as when someone knocks on the door and you ask “Who is it?” (Otherwise, though, referring to a person as it for any reason is extremely offensive.) Most commonly, it is used to refer to things. Like the word thing, the word it is usually the one being used in place of a more specific word. But there are other general terms you can use instead. It can refer to anything—it can refer to physical objects or articles but also to nonphysical entities. The word item can be used for tangible things (as in That item is sold out) or intangible ones (as in Let’s save that item for the next agenda). The words this and that can be used in place of it when referring to something that’s near, understood, or previously mentioned or indicated. They can also be used for emphasis. For example, instead of asking “What is it?” about some unidentifiable thing, you could ask “What is that?” It is also very commonly used to introduce sentences that use a form of the verb be, especially statements about time (as in It’s five o’clock), distance (as in It is five miles away), or the weather (as in It was raining this morning). It is also commonly used in many similar constructions (such as in phrases like How’s it going? or Where does it hurt?). All of these can often be reworded to avoid using it, as in The time is five o’clock or There was rain this morning. However, constructions using it are often the most natural-sounding. It is also used in some more specific ways. In the children’s game of tag, the word it is used to refer to the person designated as the tagger, as in Tag, you’re it! When a person is said to have “it,” this means that they possess some unique characteristic (often charisma)—sometimes known as the it factor. A girl (or, more often, a woman) who is newly popular in a certain arena might be called the it girl, as in She’s the new it girl in fashion. When capitalized, IT is a common abbreviation for information technology, which is sometimes also shortened as infotech. Another name for the IT department is the tech department.

Is it a pronoun?

Yes, it is a pronoun. The singular subject (nominative) and object form are both it. However, the plural subject form is they and the plural object form is them. The possessive form is its.

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:

it they them its their theirs

German startup Agile Robots expects its revenue to double this year from 300 million euros, helping it turn profitable in two to three years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Energy company Avista Utilities said that it cut power to some customers Saturday because of elevated wildfire risk and that it would restore power when conditions were safe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Dry weather and wind gusts in the state have made it easy for fires to spread.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Trustees are the institution’s fiduciaries and it is their responsibility to see that restricted funds are spent appropriately, said Ben Porter, founder of Principal Gift Strategies, a fundraising consultancy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

“Sometimes, it seems the easiest thing to do is try to create a ‘stand-in’ personality, one that pleases everyone.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

When they are faced with closing schools, they think: “Not on my watch,” MacDonald says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

But if they wanted him, they’d get him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

Ohio’s attorney general last year filed a complaint against 14 trustees and officers of the college alleging they improperly used more than $2 million of restricted endowment funds outside donors’ intended purposes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

“Obviously they felt good going through it,” Friedman said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

Although sulfones are successful at arresting the disease in some patients, they don’t work for all patients, and no one knows why.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

They also reported that in Australia, California and southwestern Europe, fires burned more intensely on protected lands, which makes them more dangerous to nearby residents and more damaging to natural habitats.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

Friends from his coaching classes were already discussing them.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

Since the Sparks will all but certainly miss the playoffs this season, they will have two lottery picks, giving them a chance to add some rookie-scale contracts to a roster filled with veteran deals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

Computing power is a function both of the number of nodes and the number of connections between them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

Ears pointed, Midnight scans the surroundings, keeping them safe.

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

But rather than asking the customer to rebuild its production line, Agile redesigned its robotic system to operate under real factory conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Iran's acting Defence Minister Majid Ibn al-Reza earlier said Tehran viewed every threat from its adversaries as "real and credible" even if it formed part of psychological warfare.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Last week petrol reached a new high since the conflict in the Middle East started – and its highest level since 2022.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Its acquisition of Germany’s thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering, for example, added engineering expertise from the international automotive industry and new core regions to its portfolio.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

With this information, the government keeps track of the disease, hoping to prevent its spread.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

The defendants have denied allegations that they breached their fiduciary duties and failed to exercise proper oversight of the school.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

The Dodgers pulled off the trade without disrupting their major-league squad.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

That modest move in those broader indexes has masked sharper moves beneath the surface, as investors re-evaluate their tech bets and grapple with the looming threat of rising interest rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Skubal and Snell have undergone surgeries to remove loose bodies from their pitching elbows.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

Hundreds of Filipino men have escaped into the mountains to organize their own militias.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

For the Rams, there’s the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium, which everyone believes should be theirs for the taking.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

And maybe let others make theirs, too—free of the gaslighting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

"I believe only civil society can influence these processes. While we are here defending rights, people went out and defended theirs," she said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Brussels is the most recent, announcing theirs would end in 2027, following a rise in accidents.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

This roadside restaurant had been a favorite of theirs for years.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

it

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

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