we

[wee] / wi /

PRONOUN

nominative plural pronoun

Synonyms

STRONGEST

they you

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synonym for we?

We don’t traditionally think of we as having synonyms, but there are several situations in which it can replace—or be replaced with—another word, phrase, or series of words. _____ and I We’s main job is to serve as a way of not having to name every person in a group of two or more people. Sometimes, though, it’s best to be clear by naming them. Instead of saying We walked home together, you could say Emily, Dave, and I walked home together. all of us The phrase all of us can replace we as the subject of the sentence in some situations. This phrasing is often used to emphasize the entirety of the group that’s present, as in All of us wanted to be here to say goodbye. us Sometimes, you can reword a sentence that uses the object form us to instead use the subject form we, or vice versa. For example, instead of saying Luckily, we weren’t affected by the storm, you could say Luckily, the storm didn’t affect us. ourselves In some cases, the word ourselves is used as another way of saying we. For example, it’s common to say things like We should think for ourselves. Ourselves is also sometimes used in place of we after the words as, than, and but, as in children no older than ourselves. we ourselves Sometimes, you might use the phrase we ourselves to emphasize that something was done by the group that you’re part of as opposed to others. For example, saying We cast the deciding votes may be a neutral statement, but saying We ourselves cast the deciding votes indicates that there was some significance to the fact that it was your group who did it. you We is sometimes used in place of you in a way that’s sometimes intended to be more polite, such as when giving someone an assignment, as in We should do that by Friday. It can also be used in place of you in a way that’s condescending or sarcastic, as in We don’t want to be too hasty, do we? the royal we The word we is famously used in some cases by sovereign rulers as a formal way of saying I, as if they are speaking for the entire nation. Some people use the royal we to be funny. the editorial we This is the we that we editors use when we’re speaking in a general voice, especially as a way to avoid I, which is often seen as too personal (especially when the writer’s voice, opinion, or identity is not relevant). This is often similar in function to general use of you and one. (For an example, see the very first sentence in this section.)

What can you use instead of the word we?

In cases when you want to avoid speaking for a group, you can just say I. There are ways that you can acknowledge part of the group but not all of it. For example, you could say something like I believe—as many of us do—that this is a good idea.

What kind of pronoun is we?

We 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 (first person), to the person being addressed (second person), or the person being talked about (third person). We is categorized as a first person pronoun because it refers to the group of people who are speaking or writing—addressing others.

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:

we us our ours

Before long, it was easy to forget that we didn’t have our devices.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

"We don't feel we have to defend anything," he told Match of the Day.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Do we think Ossoff meant to trigger the firestorm he did?

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026

“He was big Tupac and we watched it unfold with everybody else on TV.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Instead, we use his fear against him because, well, it’s just much more fun.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

He told me Tierra Whack is not traveling with us because she has a new album out, “Whack’s Museum,” so she’s a little busy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

"It's always been our thing, if you discourage the DNA that completes us, what's the point in then playing Test cricket?"

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Depraved art even allows us “to safely delve into taboo subjects.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

It is in our nature to see something new and spit it out like we are 2 years old and PepsiCo has offered us a spoonful of broccoli.

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026

“Also, I meant to tell you kids yesterday—Candace is having a gallery opening for an exhibit and invited us all to come. It’s Saturday at noon,” he says.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

“Studio City felt right for our California debut,” Freiha said in a press release.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

“The last adviser we worked with lost a significant portion of our portfolio.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

CalMac CEO Duncan Mackison said: "This was a fast-moving situation that was handled professionally by our crew, Ardrossan port staff and emergency services and I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to them."

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

“We strive to set the highest standards for pay and we require that all supply chain partners adhere to our code of conduct. Furthermore, Shein works with auditors to ensure compliance,” the company said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Is it our ability to walk on two feet?

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

"Only studies like ours offer an overview of these traditions which bear witness to genuine know-how and diverse traditions."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

I have four kids — two are mine and two are my wife’s — but they are all ours in every meaningful sense.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Liam on Marcus Rashford's future at United: I love Marcus, and the fact he is one of ours, and I would love him to come back and be as good as he was for us.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

"The stories he tells are about this land. The question is not whether we should claim Homer or not. His story is also ours," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

There’s a rusted-out old backboard a few trailers down from ours that hardly anybody uses.

From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman

we

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words