Mathematicians are like French people: whatever you tell them they translate it into their own language and turn it into something totally different.
Source: tatoeba (1794)
Own
/ɑːn/
Synonyms for "own" (131 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (27)
Adjective(1 words)
Noun(4 words)
Strong matches (39)
Related words (65)
Noun(19 words)
individual propertykeepkept animallordsmore keptmore school belongingowned byowningpersonal creedpersonal experiencepersonal qualitypetpossessed bypossessingprivate company reportsprivate informationro privatshareholder ownedswedish ha
Adjective(14 words)
individual responsibilitypersonal beliefpersonal belongingspersonal calendarpersonal effectspersonal gardenpersonal importancepersonal matterprivate goalsprivate imageprivate materialsprivate workspacept privadorespective
keeplet onmonopolizenot opposeon handopen upout with itown upownedplead guiltypossesspossessedproperrecognizerespectiveretainspillspill itspit it outtell all
Verb(9 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: have, possess, accept, accept responsibility, acknowledge.
- Sentence evidence is available for own, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "own".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "own"
Keep "own" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "own" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "own", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "own" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
11 entriesacknowledgmentadmissiondetermineremphatic determinerhavehave gotholdmodifierownershippossessionpossessive adjective
More specific
16 entriesadmissionassetsbelongingsconfessionherher ownhishis ownlandmymy ownone's ownpropertytheir ownyouryour own
Collocations
14 entriesown belongingsown businessown carown decisionown equipmentown homeown houseown ideaown ideasown nameown paceown possessionsown propertyown room
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
3 entriesTranslations
15 translations across 8 languages.
Afrikaans
2 entries- erken verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
- toegee verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
Ancient Greek
1 entries- νομίζω verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
Estonian
3 entries- omistama verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
- tunnistama verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
- tunnustama verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
Finnish
1 entries- tunnustaa verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
German
2 entries- eingestehen verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
- zugeben verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
Russian
1 entries- признава́ть verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
Spanish
2 entries- admitir verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
- reconocer verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
Swedish
3 entries- erkänna verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
- tillstå verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
- vidgå verb (acknowledge responsibility for)
Sample sentences
33 total sentences available.
Nowadays we want our children to make their own decisions, but we expect those decisions to please us.
Source: tatoeba (1799)
Most people only want to hear their own truth.
Source: tatoeba (1922)
Try as you might, but you cannot force a belief onto someone else, much less your own self.
Source: tatoeba (2262)
Showing 4 of 33 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "own"?
Closest matches include have, possess, accept, accept responsibility, acknowledge.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "own"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.