ego

noun

\ ˈē-(ˌ)gō also ˈe-

plural egos

Definition of ego

1 : the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world

2a : egotism sense 2

b : self-esteem sense 1

3 : the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality — compare id, superego

Other Words from ego Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about ego

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Did You Know?

Ego is the Latin word for "I." So if a person seems to begin every sentence with "I", it's sometimes a sign of a big ego. It was the psychologist Sigmund Freud (well, actually his original translator) who put ego into the popular vocabulary, but what he meant by the word is complex, so only other psychologists really use it in the Freudian sense. The rest of us generally use ego simply to mean one's sense of self-worth, whether exaggerated or not. When used in the "exaggerated" sense, ego is almost the same thing as conceit. Meeting a superstar athlete without a trace of this kind of ego would be a most refreshing experience. But having a reasonable sense of your own worth is no sin. Life's little everyday victories are good—in fact, necessary—for a healthy ego.

Examples of ego in a Sentence

I have enough ego not to want to give up easily in any contest or competition. a star athlete with a refreshing lack of ego

Recent Examples on the Web

The Witches of Eastwick’’ (Jack Nicholson, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon) concocted an incoherent brew whose primary ingredient was ego. — Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, "‘Gertrude and Claudius’ casts a different light on ‘Hamlet’ at Barrington Stage," 31 July 2019 The stories started to feel — there was a lot ego involved. — David Canfield, EW.com, "Lisa Taddeo on her biggest hope for Three Women, the hottest book of the summer," 9 July 2019 On Monday, July 1, warrior planet Mars joins Mercury in Leo, turning up the dial on egos and tempers. — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, "How to Use This Month's Mercury Retrograde to Your Advantage," 27 June 2019 The Fiend, Bray Wyatt’s alter-ego, finally made his in-ring debut. — Aaron Oster, baltimoresun.com, "Seth Rollins cleanly beats Brock Lesnar, regains title at WWE Summerslam," 12 Aug. 2019 Once per turn, players can flip their character card between hero and alter-ego sides to gain access to different abilities, a cool little thematic and mechanical flourish. — Aaron Zimmerman, Ars Technica, "The hottest new board games from Gen Con 2019," 10 Aug. 2019 Watkins sometimes awkwardly joined a cast of Asian women, most prominently a host who goes by Diana Printz, a pseudonym which is perhaps a nod to Wonder Woman’s alter-ego. — Timothy Mclaughlin, WIRED, "The Weird, Dark History of 8chan," 6 Aug. 2019 In Strike Back, the titular characters tried to prevent a film from being made about their comic book alter-egos. — Time, "Here Are All the Best Trailers From San Diego Comic-Con," 18 July 2019 Visitors during Lego Movie Days will have photo ops with the new Rex Dangervest character (alter-ego of Emmet). — Dewayne Bevil, orlandosentinel.com, "Legoland Florida: New Lego Movie Days event debuts in July," 19 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ego.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for ego

ego

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ego

: the opinion that you have about yourself

psychology : a part of the mind that senses and adapts to the real world

See the full definition for ego in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ego

noun

\ ˈē-(ˌ)gō also ˈeg-(ˌ)ō\

plural egos

Medical Definition of ego

1 : the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world

2 : the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality — compare id entry 1, superego

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ego

Definition of ego

Other Words from ego

Synonyms for ego

Did You Know?

Examples of ego in a Sentence

First Known Use of ego

History and Etymology for ego

English Language Learners Definition of ego

Medical Definition of ego

ego

Definition of ego

Other Words from ego

Synonyms for ego

Did You Know?

Examples of ego in a Sentence

First Known Use of ego

History and Etymology for ego

English Language Learners Definition of ego

Medical Definition of ego

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