What does "ego" mean?
The self, especially with a sense of self-importance.
Ego
/ˈiɡo/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The self, especially with a sense of self-importance.
- Grammar: ego is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: egotism, self, self-importance, alter.
- Useful contrasts: humility, id, ids.
- Usage evidence: We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as definitive and has as its highest value one's own ego and one's own desires.
How to use "ego"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ego" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ego" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ego" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ego" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "egotism" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The self, especially with a sense of self-importance. countable, uncountable
"When every thought absorbs your attention completely, when you are so identified with the voice in your head and the emotions that accompany it that you lose yourself in every thought and every emotion, then you are totally identified with form and therefore in the grip of ego. Ego is a conglomeration of recurring thought forms and conditioned mental-emotional patterns that are invested with a sense of I, a sense of self."
- 2 (psychoanalysis) the conscious mind wordnet
- 3 The most central part of the mind, which mediates with one's surroundings. countable, uncountable
"In the well adjusted person the ego is the executive of the personality and is governed by the reality principle."
- 4 your consciousness of your own identity wordnet
- 5 A person's self-esteem and opinion of themselves. countable, uncountable
"Too many gay people "come out" publicly, yet fail to achieve truly healthy egos. They "adjust" to being less than whole or integrated persons."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others wordnet
- 7 The individual from whose point of view a family tree or pedigree chart is drawn, or the reference point from whom kinship terminology is relative. (Used without the definite article the.) countable, uncountable
"the cousin of ego on the father's side"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as definitive and has as its highest value one's own ego and one's own desires."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ego"?
Common synonyms include: egotism, self, self-importance, alter, alter ego, alterum.
How do you use "ego" in a sentence?
We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as definitive and has as its highest value one's own ego and one's own desires.
How do you pronounce "ego"?
Pronounced /ˈiɡo/.
Etymology
From Latin ego (“I”). Chosen by Freud’s translator as a translation of his use of German Ich as a noun for this concept from the pronoun ich (“I”). Doublet of I and Ich.