him: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1 (Extremely High Frequency)Universal (used in all registers from highly formal to informal)
Quick answer
What does “him” mean?
The objective case of the third person singular masculine pronoun 'he', used as the object of a verb or preposition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The objective case of the third person singular masculine pronoun 'he', used as the object of a verb or preposition.
Can be used in formal registers to refer to a singular person of unspecified gender, though this usage is declining. Also used as a disjunctive pronoun in some non-standard dialects.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant grammatical differences. Minor differences in non-standard dialects, such as 'em for 'them/him' being more common historically in BrE.
Connotations
Identical core connotations.
Frequency
Identical, extremely high frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “him” in a Sentence
[Verb] + him[Verb] + him + [Object][Verb] + [Indirect Object] + him[Preposition] + himVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in all business communications referring to a male colleague, client, or manager (e.g., 'Please forward the report to him').
Academic
Used in formal writing when referring to a male author, historical figure, or subject (e.g., 'The data presented by Smith led him to conclude...').
Everyday
Ubiquitous in daily conversation for referring to any known male person.
Technical
Used in programming (e.g., object-oriented design personas) and linguistics texts discussing pronoun case.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “him”
- Using 'he' as an object (e.g., 'I saw he' instead of 'I saw him').
- Using 'him' as a subject in compound subjects (e.g., 'Him and I went' instead of 'He and I went').
- Omitting 'him' after prepositions (e.g., 'I'm waiting for' instead of 'I'm waiting for him').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'him' is specifically masculine. The feminine equivalent is 'her'. In very old-fashioned formal English, 'him' was sometimes used generically for 'a person', but this is now considered archaic and sexist.
Yes, this is grammatically correct. After a preposition like 'between', the object pronoun 'him' is required. 'Between you and he' is incorrect.
In informal and most formal modern English, pronouns following the verb 'to be' (predicate complements) take the object case ('It's me/him/us/them'). The prescriptive rule requiring the subject case ('It is I/he/we/they') is now largely restricted to extremely formal contexts and sounds archaic in conversation.
'His' is a possessive determiner or pronoun (e.g., 'his book', 'the book is his'). 'Him' is solely an object pronoun (e.g., 'I see him', 'give it to him'). 'His' shows ownership; 'him' receives an action or is the object of a preposition.
The objective case of the third person singular masculine pronoun 'he', used as the object of a verb or preposition.
Him is usually universal (used in all registers from highly formal to informal) in register.
Him: in British English it is pronounced /hɪm/, and in American English it is pronounced /hɪm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “That's him!”
- “Give it to him!”
- “Him and whose army?”
- “Run him through (archaic)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HIM has an 'M' at the end, like 'Man' or 'Male'. Think: He -> HiM (the M moves to the object form).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE OBJECT IS A RECIPIENT (e.g., 'She gave him the book' – 'him' is the metaphorical container receiving the action).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'him' correctly?