What does "him" mean?
A male person or animal.
Him
/ˈhɪm/ name, noun, pron, slang
name, noun, pron, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A male person or animal.
- Grammar: him is listed as name, noun, pron, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: alter, alter ego, alterum, better self.
- Useful contrasts: her, it.
- Usage evidence: Maybe it will be exactly the same for him.
How to use "him"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "him" 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 "him" 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 "him" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "him" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "him" is acting as name, noun, pron, slang 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 "alter" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "him", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
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 A male person or animal. informal
"I think this bird is a him, but it may be a her."
Pronoun
- 1 A masculine pronoun; he as a grammatical object.; With dative effect or as an indirect object. objective, personal, pronoun
"[…]therfoꝛ Chꝛiſt wold not call him abominable / But the verye abomination it ſilf."
- 2 Honorific alternative letter-case form of him, sometimes used when referring to God or another important figure who is understood from context. alt-of, honorific
"☐ Try a conversational journaling approach, where you talk with God about what you are learning and write what you 'hear' Him saying to you (see Appendix 1 for examples)"
- 3 Initialism of His Imperial Majesty. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 4 A masculine pronoun; he as a grammatical object.; Following a preposition. objective, personal, pronoun
"She was in no humour for conversation with anyone but himself; and to him she had hardly courage to speak."
- 5 Initialism of Her Imperial Majesty. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A masculine pronoun; he as a grammatical object.; With accusative effect or as a direct object. objective, personal, pronoun
"‘He's got it buttoned in his breast. I saw him put it there.’"
- 7 As a grammatical subject or object when joined with a conjunction. colloquial, objective, personal, pronoun, uncommon
"Now him and Bernie are best friends."
- 8 Used in isolation or apposition, or (sometimes proscribed) as the complement of the copula (be). objective, personal, pronoun
"Who was there? —Him."
- 9 Used reflexively: (to) himself. archaic, objective, personal, pronoun
"Apon a daye apoynted, the kynge arayed hym in royall apparell, and set hym in his seate, and made an oracion unto them."
- 10 With nominative effect: he, especially as a predicate after be, or following a preposition. objective, personal, pronoun
"Before my body, I throw my warlike Shield: Lay on Macduffe, And damn'd be him, that first cries hold, enough."
- 11 A person of elevated skill at a sport, game, or other activity. objective, personal, pronoun, slang
"Stop trying that, you're not him bro."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Khmer.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Maybe it will be exactly the same for him."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "him"?
Common synonyms include: alter, alter ego, alterum, better self, ego, ethical self.
How do you use "him" in a sentence?
Maybe it will be exactly the same for him.
How do you pronounce "him"?
Pronounced /ˈhɪm/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English him, from Old English him, from Proto-Germanic *himmai (“to this, to this one”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian him (“him”), West Frisian him (“him”), Sylt North Frisian ham, höm (“him”), Dutch hem (“him”), German Low German hum, hüm, em (“him”), German ihm (“him”, dative).
Etymology 2
A surname of Khmer origin.