a reflexive form of plural they used as the direct or indirect object of a verb or the object of a preposition: They washed themselves quickly. The painters gave themselves a week to finish the work. The noisy passengers drew attention to themselves.
an emphatic form of them or they: The authors themselves left the theater. The contract was written by the partners themselves.
a reflexive form of singular they used as the direct or indirect object of a verb or the object of a preposition:
(used to refer to a generic or unspecified person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context): No one who ignores the law can call themselves a good citizen.
(used to refer to a specific or known person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context): I want to help my friend who is harming themselves.
(used to refer to a nonbinary or gender-nonconforming person previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context): Ash introduced themselves to the job recruiter.
(used in place of they or them after as, than, or but): no soldiers braver than themselves; As for the entertainers, everyone got paid but themselves.
their usual, normal, characteristic selves: After a hot meal and a few hours' rest, they were themselves again.
Origin of themselves
First recorded in 1300–50; them + selves; replacing themself,Middle English thamself; see self
usage note for themselves
See myself, they.
Words nearby themselves
Themistocles, Moon and Sixpence, The, The more the merrier, morning after, the, themself, themselves, them's fighting words, Murders in the Rue Morgue, The, then, then again, Naked and the Dead, The