# ourselves

/aʊɝˈsɛɫvz/ (US) · /aʊəsˈɛlvz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ourselves
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. reflexive use

pronoun · CEFR A2

you use this when 'we' are the ones doing the action and also the ones receiving it.

For teachers: the reflexive form of 'we', used as the object of a verb or preposition when the subject and object refer to the same group of people.

- We looked at ourselves in the mirror before leaving the house.
- We found ourselves in a difficult position after the funding was suddenly withdrawn, forcing us to reconsider our entire strategy.

Usage: Always used when the subject of the clause is 'we'.

### 2. for emphasis

pronoun · CEFR B1

you use this to emphasize that 'we' did something alone, without help from anyone else.

For teachers: an intensive pronoun used to emphasize the subject 'we', often to indicate that the group acted independently or without external assistance.

- We painted the whole kitchen ourselves over the weekend.
- While the consultants provided the data, we ourselves had to make the final decision regarding the merger.

Usage: Can be placed immediately after 'we' or at the end of the clause.

## Examples

- We cooked this dinner ourselves.
- After the car broke down, we managed to push it to the side of the road ourselves.
- By examining the data ourselves rather than relying on the summary, we identified several inconsistencies that the initial report had overlooked.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.