Definitions

you

[yoo, yoo, yuh] / ju, jʊ, jə /

Part of Speech:

All (5) Pronoun (4) Noun (1)

Jump To:

nominative plural pronoun pron.
nominative singular pronoun pron.
objective singular pronoun pron.
objective plural pronoun pron.
unspecified individual n.

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:

you yous your yours

It's spider season - have you seen more creepy crawlies around?

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

“Life is all about perspective. If you ask the grass, the zebra is the monster and the lion is the protector,” Price wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

At first, he struggled with relatively simple questions such as “How would you spend your first day of retirement?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

Have you struggled to either sell your flat or buy one?

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Indeed, if you're looking at your brain from the outside, you might wonder if you're holding the cortex backwards.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Speeches that deviate from the ubiquitous laundry list of thank yous always get more attention, whether they’re political or not, for the simple reason that they’re so dang unusual.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 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

He added: "Most importantly, the biggest of thank yous to the fantastic listeners who have been really generous and always made me feel welcome, your kind words and messages have been so lovely."

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2024

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

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023

Besides, I shouldn’t judge people for saying yous instead of you or mines instead of mine.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez

At first, he struggled with relatively simple questions such as “How would you spend your first day of retirement?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

"Being trapped means that you can't move on with your life."

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

"We've asked TfW to make it clearer for passengers when travelling as tap and go calculates the standard adult single fare for your tapped journey," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

“They feature skits and interviews of me on radio. When people follow your story, they feel closer to you — it’s like a soap opera. People want to know what’s going to happen next.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

“Did I tell you how brave, how strong your pa was when we left Louisiana?”

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

But they’re not going to figure out an account is yours if there’s genuinely nothing connecting it to you.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

In July, outgoing prime minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a formal apology to those mothers, telling them: "The shame is not yours... the shame is ours."

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

Teach people that discernment requires looking behind the label, and eventually they may look behind yours, too.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

But even then, your better-than-even odds won’t last long, since those other AI models will undoubtedly catch up to yours in short order.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

“I’m glad you’re happy, honey. I have to be honest; I was worried. Crossing the Veil is not done so often. I was afraid that husband of yours might evaporate.”

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

you

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

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