What does "us" mean?
Alternative form of u's.
Us
/əs/ adj, det, name, noun, pron, slang
adj, det, name, noun, pron, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative form of u's.
- Grammar: us is listed as adj, det, name, noun, pron, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: america, congress, danish enig, earthling self concept.
- Useful contrasts: las, dem.
- Usage evidence: It may be that the happiness awaiting us is not at all the sort of happiness we would want.
How to use "us"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "us" 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 "us" 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 "us" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "us" 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 "us" is acting as adj, det, 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 "america" 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 "us", 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 Alternative form of u's. alt-of, alternative, rare
- 2 Initialism of unconditioned stimulus. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 3 plural of U form-of, plural
- 4 Initialism of ultrasonography (ultrasound). abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Adjective
- 1 Abbreviation of undersize. abbreviation, alt-of, not-comparable
- 2 Abbreviation of unserviceable. abbreviation, alt-of, not-comparable
"The radio is US."
Pronoun
- 1 Me and at least one other person, excluding the person(s) being addressed. (exclusive us.) personal, pronoun
"Don't treat us like idiots."
- 2 Me and at least one other person, including the person(s) being addressed. (inclusive us.) personal, pronoun
"Let's ask him if he'll give us a lift."
- 3 We, used in the same circumstances where "me" would be used instead of "I", e.g. for the pronoun in isolation or as the complement of the copula personal, pronoun
"Who's there? — Us. (or) — It's us."
- 4 Any entity that the speaker is a part of or identifies with, such as place of employment or education, nation, region, language, etc. personal, pronoun
"It's not true that the rest of Europe hates us."
- 5 People in general. personal, pronoun
"Grief ages us."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 The person(s) being addressed. colloquial, personal, pronoun
"Come on! Wakey wakey! Let's get us up and out of bed, please."
- 7 Used to imply connection between the speaker's experiences or activities and a group of listeners. colloquial, personal, pronoun
"Hey guys, in this video I'll show you how I make my upside-down sponge cake. First let's get us a few ingredients that we'll need ..."
- 8 Me. Commonwealth, colloquial, personal, pronoun, usually
"Give us a look at your paper."
- 9 Me (in all contexts). Northumbria, personal, pronoun
"Look at us while ye’re speakin tiv us."
Determiner
- 1 Designates the speaker(s)/writer(s) as constituting or belonging to the stated category of people (objective case).
"It's not good enough for us teachers."
- 2 Designates the speaker(s)/writer(s) as constituting or belonging to the stated category of people (subjective case). proscribed
"Us gays and lesbians in here got a reason to be bitching about the conditions."
- 3 Our. Northern-England
"We'll have to throw us food out."
Proper Noun
- 1 Initialism of the United States: a country in North America. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
"ICANN is based in the US."
- 2 Initialism of Upper Sorbian. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"It may be that the happiness awaiting us is not at all the sort of happiness we would want."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "us"?
Common synonyms include: america, congress, danish enig, earthling self concept, h2os, kami.
How do you use "us" in a sentence?
It may be that the happiness awaiting us is not at all the sort of happiness we would want.
How do you pronounce "us"?
Pronounced /əs/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *n̥smé Proto-Germanic *uns Old English ūs Middle English us English us From Middle English us, from Old English ūs (“us”, dative personal pronoun), from Proto-West Germanic *uns, from Proto-Germanic *uns (“us”), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥swé, alteration of *n̥smé (“us”). The compensatory lengthening was lost in Middle English due to the word being unstressed when used. Cognate with Saterland Frisian uus (“us”), West Frisian us, ús (“us”), Low German uns, us (“us”), Dutch ons (“us”), German uns (“us”), Danish os (“us”), Latin nōs (“we, us”).
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Etymology 3
Abbreviation of United States.
Etymology 4
Abbreviation.
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