language note: Herself is a third person singular reflexive pronoun. Herself is used when the object of a verb or preposition refers to the same person as thesubject of the verb, except in meaning [sense 5].
1. pronoun
You use herself to refer to a woman, girl, or female animal.
She let herself out of the room.
Jennifer believes she will move out on her own when she is financially able to supportherself.
Robin didn't feel good about herself.
2. pronoun
In written English, herself is sometimes used to refer to a person without saying whether that person is a man or a woman. Many people prefer to use 'himself or herself' or 'themselves' as an alternative to 'herself'.
How can anyone blame her for actions for which she feels herself to be in no wayresponsible?
3. pronoun
Herself is sometimes used to refer to a country or nation.
[formal, or written]
Britain's dream of herself began to fade.
4. reflexive pronoun
People sometimes use herself to refer to a car, machine, or ship. Some people think it is better to use 'itself' when referring to these things.
The ship adjusted herself to the roll and rhythm of the sea.
5. pronoun
You use herself to emphasize the person or thing that you are referring to. Herself is sometimes used instead of 'her' as the object of a verb or preposition.
[emphasis]
She's so beautiful herself.
Has anyone thought of consulting Bethan herself?
She herself was not a keen gardener.
English Easy Learning GrammarPossessive pronounsPossessive pronouns are used when you want to indicate who owns or is associated withan item. All those books are hers. Those suitcases are ours. Are ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarReflexive pronounsReflexive pronouns are used: person singular plural 1st2nd3rd masculine3rd feminine3rd neuterGeneral myselfyourselfhimselfherselfitselfoneselfourselvesyourselvesthemselvesthemselvesthemselves ... Read more
herself in British English
(həˈsɛlf)
pronoun
1.
a.
the reflexive form of she or her
b.
(intensifier)
the queen herself signed the letter
2. (preceded by a copula)
her normal or usual self
she looks herself again after the operation
3. Irish and Scottish
the wife or woman of the house
is herself at home?
herself in American English
(hərˈsɛlf)
pronoun
a form of she, used:
a.
as an intensifier
she said so herself
b.
as a reflexive
she hurt herself
c.
with the meaning “her real, true, or actual self” [she is not herself today]
in this construction her functions as an adjective and self as a noun, and they may be separated [her own sweet self]
d. Irish
as a subject
herself will have her tea now
Word origin
ME hire self < OE hire selfum, dat. sing. of hie self: see her1 & self
Examples of 'herself' in a sentence
herself
But she insists her tactic was more about just enjoying herself than finding a different partner.
The Sun (2016)
She tries not to read about herself and avoids all social media, but gets as upset as anyone else when people say unkind things.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Thus the mother needs to sometimes protect herself.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
But she wanted to use it herself.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Gracie herself referred to it as weaving a silver thread between herself and her audience.
John Fisher Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing (2006)
The sufferer has been so used to putting herself down that she has focused on only the negative.
Wilkinson, Helena Beyond Chaotic Eating (1993)
That she refers to herself in the third person shows how removed she is from her public persona.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She laughs that she sometimes finds herself on trips overseas pushing a luggage trolley while being greeted by foreign dignitaries.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You suspect that only a person as used to contradicting herself as she is would have put up with it.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
There was such a heat inside that the Finland woman herself went about almost naked.
Hans Christian Andersen Andersen's Fairy Tales (1874)
Go very gently, as she may need help to accept this about herself.
The Sun (2016)
She stands outside herself, sometimes in all four corners of a room.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But it was the change in her personality that made me see how important it was for her to feel good about herself.
The Sun (2008)
She raged and sometimes she cried herself to sleep, but nobody heard.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She is very tough on herself, sometimes too tough.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She herself used to work in A&E.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She admits she has to pinch herself sometimes, but remains realistic.
The Sun (2011)
Throughout the conversation, she divides up her personality and often refers to herself in the third person.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Being herself is Ditto 's most dramatic rebellion.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She gives an impressive performance, but then spoils it by talking about herself non-stop.
The Sun (2011)
She refers to herself regularly as'a philanthropist '.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
herself
British English: herself /həˈsɛlf/ PRONOUN
You use herself when you want to say that something a woman or a girl does has an effect on her.
She pulled herself out of the water.
American English: herself
Arabic: نَفْسِهَا
Brazilian Portuguese: ela mesma
Chinese: 她自己
Croatian: sama sebe
Czech: se
Danish: hende selv
Dutch: zichzelf
European Spanish: se ella
Finnish: hän itse naispuolinen
French: elle-même
German: sie selbst
Greek: η ίδια
Italian: se stessa
Japanese: 彼女自身
Korean: 그 여자 자신
Norwegian: seg selv
Polish: siebie
European Portuguese: ela mesma
Romanian: ea însăși
Russian: себя
Latin American Spanish: se
Swedish: hon själv
Thai: หล่อนเอง
Turkish: kendisi hanım
Ukrainian: себе
Vietnamese: tự cô ấy
Chinese translation of 'herself'
herself
(həːˈsɛlf)
pron
她自己 (tā zìjǐ)
⇒ She'll have to try it out for herself.她必须得自己试试。 (Tā bìxū děi zìjǐ shìshì.)
(emphatic) 她本人 (tā běnrén)
⇒ She herself lives in London.她本人住在伦敦。 (Tā běnrén zhù zài Lúndūn.)
she hurt herself她伤(傷)了自己 (tā shāngle zìjǐ)
she made the dress herself她自己做的这(這)件连(連)衣裙 (tā zìjǐ zuò de zhè jiàn liányīqún)
by herself (= unaided) 她独(獨)立地 (tā dúlì de)
⇒ She painted the house by herself.她自己一个人粉刷了房子。 (Ta zìjǐ yī gè rén fěnshuāle fángzi.)
(= alone) 她独(獨)自地 (tā dúzì de)
she lives by herself她独(獨)自一人住 (tā dúzì yī rén zhù)
All related terms of 'herself'
by herself
( unaided ) 她独(獨)立地 tā dúlì de ⇒ She painted the house by herself. → 她自己一个人粉刷了房子。 Ta zìjǐ yī gè rén fěnshuāle fángzi.
she hurt herself
她伤(傷)了自己 tā shāngle zìjǐ
she lives by herself
她独(獨)自一人住 tā dúzì yī rén zhù
she didn't do herself justice
她没(沒)有充分发(發)挥(揮)自己的才能 tā méiyǒu chōngfèn fāhuī zìjǐ de cáinéng
she made the dress herself
她自己做的这(這)件连(連)衣裙 tā zìjǐ zuò de zhè jiàn liányīqún