Showing results for "they"

nominative plural of he.
nominative plural of it.
nominative plural of she.

Definitions

they

[they] / ðeɪ /

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nominative plural pronoun pron.
nominative singular pronoun pron.

PRONOUN

nominative plural pronoun

Synonyms

STRONGEST

we you

PRONOUN

nominative singular pronoun

Synonyms

STRONGEST

I he it she sie ve xe you ze zie

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synonym for they?

We don’t traditionally think of they as having synonyms, but there are several situations in which it can replace—or be replaced with—another word, phrase, or series of words. Plural people and things They is perhaps most commonly used as a plural pronoun referring to multiple people, as in Seven people made reservations, and they all showed up at the same time. It can also refer to multiple things, as in I moved the packages so they wouldn’t fall off the table. A singular person They also has a long history of being used to refer to an unspecified individual or to a person whose gender and other personal details are unknown or irrelevant, as in If a student is absent, they must bring in a note when they return to school. Sentences like this sometimes use constructions like he or she, but the use of they has become very common in such instances, with many people preferring they as less awkward and more inclusive. Nonbinary gender expression A use of they that has become more widespread is as a personal pronoun for those who identify as nonbinary or whose gender identity exists between or beyond the spectrum of strictly male or female. Grammatically, it’s used in the same way as the gender-specific terms like he and she, but it’s gender-neutral. You can learn more about this below. themselves In some cases, the word themselves is used as another way of saying they or another form of it. It’s sometimes used in place of they or them after the words as, than, and but, as in They saw girls no older than themselves. It can also be used as an emphatic form of they or them, as in They—the students themselves—wrote the lesson. Singular forms include themself or theirself.

What word can I use instead of they?

They is commonly used as a way to refer to people in general, as in They say that place is haunted. In cases like this, you could replace they with people or any number of similar terms. Or you could avoid using it by constructing the sentence in a more passive way, such as That place is said to be haunted.

What does it mean to use they/them pronouns?

When someone requests to be referred to with they/them pronouns, it means they don’t use the pronouns typically associated with male and female gender identities, like he/him and she/her. Such people may identify as nonbinary or in a number of other ways. Other forms of they are often used along with singular, nonbinary they and them, such as their and themself. How to use they/them pronouns Grammatically speaking, when they is used as a singular pronoun, it still takes a plural verb—are or were, as in They are my favorite person or Any employee who missed the training while they were on vacation still needs to complete it. We do the same thing when we use the singular you with are or were. Interpersonally speaking, the right way to use they/them pronouns is the way that the person you’re referring to prefers them to be used. In some cases, people use other gender-neutral pronouns, such as ze. Some people whose gender identity is fluid or encompasses multiple genders may use a mix of pronouns, such as she/they or they/he, among others.

What kind of pronoun is they?

They is a personal pronoun. It can be either singular or plural. 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 one communicating, to the one being addressed, or the one being talked about. In terms of its grammatical function, they is a nominative pronoun, meaning that it’s generally used as the subject of a sentence—the one doing the action—as opposed to the object (the one on the receiving end of some action). The objective form of they is them, as in They asked me to drive them home. They is categorized as a third person pronoun (like he, she, him, her, and them), meaning that it’s used to refer to anyone other than the person doing the addressing or the ones being addressed. In contrast, first person pronouns (like I and me) refer to the speaker or writer themselves. Second person pronouns (you and its other forms) address the person being spoken to or reading. In literature, third-person point of view is a common form of narration in which the events of the story are told using the third person.

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:

they them their theirs

They have Herbert’s back, though, as they collectively sort things out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

An American official described this week’s mediated discussions as “positive and constructive,” while Iranian officials said Saturday they were awaiting an official U.S. response.

From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026

The Black Ferns have beaten the Red Roses in all five World Cup final meetings they have contested.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Its powerful algorithms feed people short videos based in part on what they already have lingered on, liked or shared.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

People are afraid of the number thirteen; they think it’s unlucky.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

‘The Deb’ producers have sued Rebel Wilson for defamation after she called them out, accusing them of retaliating and trying to destroy her directorial debut.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

It would provide them with a loan worth 20% of their new build property's value to help pay for the purchase.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Matthias Barker, a psychotherapist who founded Estrangement.com, a paid-membership support group, has 4.2 million followers combined on Instagram and TikTok, all of them new since 2020, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

Seiler wanted to know whether researchers could recover writing from these carbonized scrolls without physically unrolling them, an action that could cause the brittle papyrus to crumble into black dust.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

When the administrators at Carville ask the priest for an explanation, he tells them that he wants nothing to do with her.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Justin Herbert is prioritizing on-field execution as the Chargers seek their first win.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

England now travel to Canada to complete their three-Test series against the World Cup finalists in Toronto and Ottawa, while the Black Ferns play France in Hamilton.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

“For some, estrangement is their first chance at adolescent rebellion,” Coleman says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

The Chargers and their turbulent offense are on the verge of starting 0-3 for the first time since 2017.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

They don't realize that floating in the air on dust particles, lurking on fingertips, or growing on the shiny steel blades of their unwashed surgical scalpels are single-celled bacteria and other microscopic life forms.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Williams was watching the stream on a television as his wife and son were getting ready for bed when a life-changing fortune became theirs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

And here, Walker and Auen offer theirs, fashioning academia into a key that opens a portal to the past, present and future.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026

Bournemouth have also been handed a tie against the Italians, although theirs will be on home soil.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

I don’t have one, and I’d be careful with anyone selling you theirs.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

People have their arms around my shoulders, and I have mine around theirs.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

they

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

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