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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:

"Evolutionarily speaking, you don't keep the organ that you don't need. After watching many videos, I realized this animal is moving its eyeball toward the light."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

“Finding a job right now is basically picking the best from a pile of crap. As long as your standards are low enough, you can still land a job,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

You need to have a car that's alright over bumps, that's not trying to kill you every time.

From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026

Here's how I rated the players and how you rated the players.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

These areas integrate your sensory input and muscle actions so you keep oriented in space and in motion.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

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 77th Primetime Emmys Awards generated another slate of viral moments, from cash awards for short speeches to history-making wins and heartfelt thank yous.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025

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

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023

Certainly, if the rest of Hollywood was having similarly complicated feelings about the Globes, it largely kept them to itself amid all the thank yous to the H.F.P.A.

From New York Times ● Jan. 11, 2023

There’s always a footnote to her I love yous.

From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly

That old concert T-shirt in the back of your closet could be worth money—maybe a lot of money.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

"We are going to miss your smile, your laugh, and the little things that made you who you are," they said.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

Addressing Macron, he added: "Thank you for confirming your readiness to provide licenses for the production of missiles."

From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026

"If a galaxy were a city, the brightest stars would be the skyscrapers that immediately catch your eye from afar," said lead author Chloe Cheng, a recent doctoral graduate of Leiden University.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026

At times, it can feel like your entire body is on fire.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

People do share in great detail here all the time, but yours is deeply personal.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

‘Lovely bloke I’m told. Colleague of yours, yes?’

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

"So you search for one and when you find it, no-one else will have it: that sound is yours."

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

Celeste replied "of course its yours David", according to testimony from a detective.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

JONAH, Guess my brain’s bigger than yours then.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

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