oneself - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

A contracted form of one's self (Mid-16th century). Equivalent to one +‎ -self.

oneself (reflexive form of the indefinite personal pronoun one, formerly sometimes two words: one's self)

  1. A person's self: general form of himself, herself, themself or yourself.
    Teaching oneself to swim can be dangerous.
    • 2025 April 28, Madeline Holcombe, “It might be time to ‘reparent’ yourself. Here’s how to get started”, in CNN‎[1]:
      If attending to your childhood wounds and responding with kindness feels selfish, it is important to remember that compassion for oneself often makes people more compassionate to others, Lev said.

This pronoun can be used for emphasis or to make a verb reflexive.

a person's self: general form of himself, herself, themself or yourself