its

[its] / ɪts /

PRONOUN

a possessive form used as an attributive adjective

Synonyms

STRONG

her hir his my our their vis xyr your zir

PRONOUN

that which belongs to

Synonyms

STRONG

hers his mine theirs yours

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for its?

Its (not to be confused with it’s, a contraction of it is) is the possessive form of the pronoun it. The pronoun it is commonly used to refer to something without naming it. The plural pronoun they (possessive forms their and theirs) can be used to refer to multiple things in this way, as can the object form them. There aren’t synonyms for its in the same way that big is a synonym of large. But there are ways that you can say the same thing without using its. One main way is to use the word that it is replacing. For example, instead of saying The car has a dent on its hood, you could say There is a dent on the car’s hood. You could also use the word of to show possession, as in There is a dent on the hood of the car. Most commonly, the word it is used to refer to things. It is sometimes also used to refer to an animal. In some cases, it can refer to an unknown person, such as when someone knocks on the door and you ask “Who is it?” Sometimes, it’s used to refer to a group of people, as in The judge told the jury it must decide two issues. The possessive form can be used for this sense, as in The judge asked the jury for its verdict. Because its refers to people in this case, it is more common to use their (the possessive form of they), as in The judge asked the jury for their verdict. (Note: Referring to a person as it for any other reason is extremely offensive.) One other somewhat less common use of its is in constructions like this: I'm sorry about its being so late. In these cases, it’s very common to replace its with it: I'm sorry about it being so late. Or you could reword the sentence to use it’s: I'm sorry it’s so late.

Is its a pronoun?

Yes, its is a pronoun. It is the possessive form of the pronoun it. The plural subject form of it is they, whose possessive forms are their and theirs.

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.

Would I want to run an agency that’s currently in rough shape, that will certainly be blamed for enormous disasters to come if it can’t fulfill its responsibility?

From Slate • May 21, 2026

Emily in Paris, which made its debut in 2020, is a Netflix hit with the last series amassing 26.8 million views globally in 11 days, according to the platform.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

After other expenses — such as $5 billion in research-and-development costs — xAI recorded an operational loss of $6.36 billion in 2025, up 307% from 2024, according to its regulatory filings.

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

But the agency Hamilton would be expected to run is having a disaster of its own.

From Slate • May 21, 2026

As I said, Fireball was always fierce, but our community had made their own choices, and now that its existence was announced online, it was also out of our hands.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

its

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

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