Definitions

its

[its] / ɪts /

PRONOUN

a possessive form used as an attributive adjective

Synonyms

STRONG

her hir his my our their vis xyr your zir

PRONOUN

that which belongs to

Synonyms

STRONG

hers his mine theirs yours

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for its?

Its (not to be confused with it’s, a contraction of it is) is the possessive form of the pronoun it. The pronoun it is commonly used to refer to something without naming it. The plural pronoun they (possessive forms their and theirs) can be used to refer to multiple things in this way, as can the object form them. There aren’t synonyms for its in the same way that big is a synonym of large. But there are ways that you can say the same thing without using its. One main way is to use the word that it is replacing. For example, instead of saying The car has a dent on its hood, you could say There is a dent on the car’s hood. You could also use the word of to show possession, as in There is a dent on the hood of the car. Most commonly, the word it is used to refer to things. It is sometimes also used to refer to an animal. In some cases, it can refer to an unknown person, such as when someone knocks on the door and you ask “Who is it?” Sometimes, it’s used to refer to a group of people, as in The judge told the jury it must decide two issues. The possessive form can be used for this sense, as in The judge asked the jury for its verdict. Because its refers to people in this case, it is more common to use their (the possessive form of they), as in The judge asked the jury for their verdict. (Note: Referring to a person as it for any other reason is extremely offensive.) One other somewhat less common use of its is in constructions like this: I'm sorry about its being so late. In these cases, it’s very common to replace its with it: I'm sorry about it being so late. Or you could reword the sentence to use it’s: I'm sorry it’s so late.

Is its a pronoun?

Yes, its is a pronoun. It is the possessive form of the pronoun it. The plural subject form of it is they, whose possessive forms are their and theirs.

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.

"By capturing the faint light emitted by this filament, which traveled for just under 12 billion years to reach Earth, we were able to precisely characterize its shape," explains Davide Tornotti.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

The firm also cancelled its launch event at Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates following a large turnout.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

Bank of America Institute said its internal data showed a springy 4% increase in credit-card spending in the 12 months ended in April on all goods and services other than gas.

From MarketWatch • May 16, 2026

Goad was one of the first hires made by Claire’s new owner, the private-equity firm Ames Watson, which last September bought the chain for $140 million out of its second bankruptcy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

Was he really going to be forced out of its amber-lit canopy?

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

its

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

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