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he

[hee, ee] / hi, i /
PRONOUN
nominative singular pronoun
Synonyms


Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synonym for he?
We don’t traditionally think of he as having synonyms, but there are some situations in which it can be reworded or replaced with another word or phrase. he himself Sometimes, the phrase he himself is used to emphasize that a person did something entirely by himself or that it was done by him as opposed to others. For example, saying He cast the deciding vote may be a neutral statement, but saying He himself cast the deciding vote indicates that there was some significance to the fact that it was he who did it. him Sometimes a sentence can be reworded to replace the subject he with the equivalent object him. For example, the question “When do you expect he will arrive?” could be reworded as “When do you expect him to arrive?” In this case, it’s a more natural-sounding question, but this kind of rewording can be done for a number of reasons. Him is also commonly used after linking verbs (like is and was) in sentences like It was him that I saw on the train or It is him in that picture.
What can you use instead of the word he?
He is used to stand in for more specific words, like Dr. Harris, Jacob, or the pilot. So, if there’s a chance that using he might be confusing (such as when more than one man is mentioned in the sentence), you can always use the name or title of the person instead of referring to him as he. Take this sentence, for example: “If we invite Mr. Smith’s son, do you think he would come?” The he in this sentence could refer to Mr. Smith or his son, so it may be more clear to reword it as: “If we invite Mr. Smith’s son, do you think his son would come?” (or by replacing he with Mr. Smith, if that’s what you mean). Of course, there are a number of other ways to say this, including using a specific name. In some situations, it can be considered impolite to refer to someone as he or him when that person is in your presence—especially when you haven’t already acknowledged them or addressed them by name. To avoid this, it’s always best to refer to a person by name, especially when it’s the first time you’re referring to them.
Is he a pronoun?
He is a personal pronoun. Pronouns are used as substitutes for nouns—they’re another way of referring to a noun without using a specific name. Personal pronouns are used to refer to the speaker, to the person being addressed, or the person being talked about. He is categorized as a third person pronoun (like she, they, him, her, and them), meaning it’s used to refer to anyone other than the person doing the communicating or the people being addressed. In contrast, first person pronouns (like I and me) refer to the speaker or writer themselves, and the second person pronoun you is used to address the person being spoken to or reading. He is used as a subject. Its object counterpart is him.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The two-run homer he surrendered to Diamondbacks switch hitter Ketel Marte in the first inning was the ninth home run he has given up in three starts.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 9, 2026

But that work, he argued, should not be done "while the fire is burning."

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

Last week, wildfire crews in BC were forced to rescue a man when his home in the Village of Clinton was surrounded by flames, after he had refused to evacuate.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

Mourinho also spoke about difficulties he has faced with former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who hired him twice and sacked him both times.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

As Father Monaghan casts his eyes over Tala, he thinks of something Joey once told him.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

“But clearly there’s problems—problems that are still here from 4 years ago. Simply put, hes not it.”

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 31, 2025

She – there are hes, but the disciples I’ve spotted in the wild are predominantly female – is deaf to criticism, immune to self-doubt, ready to spring to action.

From The Guardian May 16, 2018

He has been givin the keys to the car, since hes been drafted.

From New York Times Dec. 14, 2014

Maybe hes a cipher in the sense that hes a symbol.

From Salon Mar. 9, 2014

I dint think pepul would laff at Prof Nemur because hes a sientist in a collidge but Bert said no sientist is a grate man to his colleegs and his gradulate studints.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Artificial-intelligence startup Poolside and cloud-infrastructure company CoreWeave have said they would build a massive data-center complex on a sprawling ranch in West Texas.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 10, 2026

Their customers are oil-and-gas producers that pay for the right to build roads, drill wells and dump toxic water that is produced alongside the oil they bring to the surface.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 10, 2026

But during their 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, they exacerbated the trend.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 9, 2026

All deny all charges and they were initially released on bail.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

But they wouldn’t be going by bus, train, or boat.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

At the time of signing that contract, Leicester described him as "one of the brightest talents in our system".

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

Haverford gave him an award for embodying the college’s values.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 9, 2026

But when it comes to landscaping, Trump maintains that his experience gives him particular authority.

From Salon Aug. 9, 2026

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has said the boy experienced school-related stress, and his dead grandmother was a former teacher who had been "quite strict on him about studying".

From Barron's Aug. 9, 2026

It changed him into someone else, and yet Phineas figured out how to live as that new person for eleven years.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Tyler Glover, chief executive of Texas Pacific, said he expected revenue from data center-related services would be “significant”—particularly sales of water to the electricity plants that power them.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 10, 2026

"If you know someone who might benefit, please start spreading the word and encourage them to check they are named on their energy bill," said Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

But how do the U.S. and the opposition get there amid little incentive on the part of the regime to allow them?

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 9, 2026

The couple at the residence were in their 90s and usually had a caretaker with them.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 9, 2026

Squeezed between them is a weary, wide-eyed girl with pigtails.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

The next inning, Wrobleski fielded a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Waldschmidt, but his throw to first was high and wide, allowing a run to score and putting Waldschmidt into scoring position.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 9, 2026

As for Wigwas, he will be fighting his evacuation fine in court.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

While Wrobleski clearly wasn’t at his best, giving up six hits and three walks, mistakes on defense didn’t help his cause.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 9, 2026

After years of speculation, Jose Mourinho has confirmed that he agreed to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013, before changing his mind and re-joining Chelsea instead.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

Upon his arrival, he and a friend invent a game.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

The woman told her several other past tenants have ended up extending their stays.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 10, 2026

For the first time, the Dodgers are set to roll out their new one-two punch of two-time Cy Young winners.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 9, 2026

He said it made him realise that his First Nation would benefit from setting up its own wildfire emergency response and teaching residents how to protect their own homes.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

But during their 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, they exacerbated the trend.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 9, 2026

Meanwhile, their meager food rations have become increasingly sparse.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Cardholders recently got collections notices for overdue balances that weren’t theirs, with their credit scores taking a hit as a result.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 4, 2026

What the note points out is that workers in highly exposed occupations are finding it harder to transition to other jobs once they have lost theirs.

From MarketWatch Aug. 4, 2026

For the Rams, there’s the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium, which everyone believes should be theirs for the taking.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 30, 2026

"Younger audiences often encounter global events through social media before they engage with the event itself. Instead of asking consumers to enter Wimbledon's world, the campaign briefly enters theirs."

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

The rubakha that day was particularly nice, even though it was much shorter than most men wore theirs, made of undyed linen with red embroidery around the sleeve cuffs and neck.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack




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