TKG English Learner's Dictionary

himself

himselfpronoun

American /hɪmˈsɛlf/ British /hɪmˈself/ The stress falls on the second part: him-SELF.
very commondefining vocabulary

Himself refers back to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, either as the object of his own action or to show that he, no one else, did it.

  1. reflexiveused as the object of a verb or preposition when the action affects a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, the same one who is the subject

    Himself is used when the subject and the object of the same clause refer to the same male person or animal: he cut himself. It is not just another way of saying him: when the object is a different person from the subject, use him (she gave it to him).

  2. for emphasisused after a noun or pronoun, or alone, to show that he, and no one else, did something or was affected

    This emphatic use often comes right after the subject or at the end of the clause: he himself doesn't believe it; he built the house himself.

Phrases

by himself

alone, without other people, or without help

Word family

Usage

In its reflexive use, himself is not simply a more polite or formal way of saying him: it refers back to the subject of the same clause. When the subject is someone else, use him: can you come with him?

Common mistakes

Can you come with himself? Can you come with him?
As an object, himself is used only when it refers to the same person as the subject; if the subject is someone else, the plain object form him is needed.

See also he; him

For translators

Grammar trap English marks a reflexive pronoun with its own form (myself, himself, herself, and so on), different from the ordinary object pronoun; many languages use one reflexive form for every person, or reuse the ordinary object pronoun instead.