pronoun
noun
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Definition of pronoun
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What is a pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase. Pronouns refer to either a noun that has already been mentioned or to a noun that does not need to be named specifically.
The most common pronouns are the personal pronouns, which refer to the person or people speaking or writing (first person), the person or people being spoken to (second person), or other people or things (third person). Like nouns, personal pronouns can function as either the subject of a verb or the object of a verb or preposition: "She likes him, but he loves her." Most of the personal pronouns have different subject and object forms:
There are a number of other types of pronouns. The interrogative pronounsâparticularly what, which, who, whom, and whoseâintroduce questions for which a noun is the answer, as in "Which do you prefer?"
Possessive pronouns refer to things or people that belong to someone. The main possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs.
The four demonstrative pronounsâthis, that, these, and thoseâdistinguish the person or thing being referred to from other people or things; they are identical to the demonstrative adjectives.
Relative pronouns introduce a subordinate clause, a part of a sentence that includes a subject and verb but does not form a sentence by itself. The main relative pronouns are that, which, who, whom, what, and whose.
Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of a sentence or clause and are formed by adding -self or -selves to a personal pronoun or possessive adjective, as in myself, herself, ourselves, and itself.
Indefinite pronouns, such as everybody, either, none, and something, do not refer to a specific person or thing, and typically refer to an unidentified or unfamiliar person or thing.
The words it and there can also be used like pronouns when the rules of grammar require a subject but no noun is actually being referred to. Both are usually used at the beginning of a sentence or clause, as in "It was almost noon" and "There is some cake left." These are sometimes referred to as expletives.
Examples of pronoun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During the emerging artists panel, the 41-year-old singer said her pronoun of choice is goddess. — Thomas Ilalaole, USA TODAY, "'Nothing about us without us': At inaugural PRIDE summit, creators advocate self-love," 10 Aug. 2019 The job of a relative pronoun is to head up a clause that modifies a noun. — June Casagrande, Burbank Leader, "A Word, Please: Verb-agreement errors can trip up even the most experienced writers," 8 Aug. 2019 The Washington Post has formally recognized the new pronouns since 2015. — Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, "Braiden Schirtzinger is non-binary, pregnant and about to take on the most gendered role of all," 16 Aug. 2019 In February, the city offered the option to all employees to receive a name badge with their preferred pronoun printed alongside their professional title. — Los Angeles Times, "Newsletter: Is This âMaking America Safe Againâ?," 19 July 2019 The extensive list also includes instances where he, her, she and him are used in city code and the new pronouns that should be used. — Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, "City to ban gendered language like "manhole," "manpower" and "firemen"," 18 July 2019 Artifacts are turning up that are all a bit skewed: a Coca-Cola bottle with the logo backward; a toy soldier sporting a monkeyâs tail; a Bible in which the pronoun referring to God is feminine. — Ann Harleman, BostonGlobe.com, "A mother and an intruder in Helen Phillipsâs âThe Needâ," 10 July 2019 The actor, who uses they/their pronouns to identify, also used the opportunity to acknowledge the Black trans community and its desperate need for allies. — Essence, "Indya Moore Makes History At Essence Festival 2019," 7 July 2019 Advocates also point to Sweetwater Union High School District, which has policies that protect transgender studentsâ privacy while also allowing their preferred pronouns and names to be reflected in classroom records. — Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, "LGBT advocacy goes back decades in San Diego Unified," 5 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pronoun.' 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 pronoun
pronoun
noun
English Language Learners Definition of pronoun
See the full definition for pronoun in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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Kids Definition of pronoun
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