# own

/ˈoʊn/ (US) · /ˈəʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/own
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to possess

verb · CEFR A1

to have something that belongs to you, especially because you bought it.

For teachers: to have legal title to or rightful possession of property, assets, or capital.

- My parents own a small house near the coast where they spend their summers.
- The multinational corporation owns several subsidiaries across Europe, though each operates under its own distinct brand identity.

### 2. to admit or take responsibility

verb · CEFR B2

to admit that something is true or to take responsibility for your actions.

For teachers: to acknowledge, confess, or accept responsibility for a situation or action; often used with 'up to'.

- It takes a lot of courage to own your mistakes instead of blaming others.
- The CEO was forced to own the failure of the merger during the annual shareholders' meeting.

Usage: Often used as the phrasal verb 'own up to' when confessing to a mistake.

### 3. to defeat or dominate

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

to defeat someone completely or show that you are much better than them.

For teachers: to utterly defeat, embarrass, or dominate an opponent, particularly in gaming or competitive contexts.

- Our team totally owned the other side in the final match.
- After months of practice, the young grandmaster completely owned his opponent in the opening phase of the tournament.

### 4. belonging to a specific person

determiner · CEFR A1

used to emphasize that something belongs to a particular person and no one else.

For teachers: an intensifying determiner used after a possessive to emphasize individual ownership or personal agency.

- I would love to have my own room so I don't have to share with my brother.
- Every artist eventually develops their own unique style after years of imitating the masters they admire.

Usage: Always follows a possessive adjective (my, your, his) or a noun with 's.

### 5. a crushing defeat or insult

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Informal

a situation where someone is made to look foolish or is defeated badly.

For teachers: a decisive instance of defeating or humiliating an opponent, often through a clever retort or superior skill.

- That comeback was a total own; he didn't know what to say.
- The politician's attempt to discredit the journalist resulted in a massive self-own when his previous statements were read aloud.

## Examples

- I own a small car and a bicycle.
- Many people in this city prefer to rent their apartments rather than own them because of the high maintenance costs.
- The family has continued to own the estate for several generations, maintaining the original architecture despite the rising costs of historical preservation.

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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.