own
A1Neutral (common across all registers, from formal to informal)
Definition
Meaning
To possess something as one's personal property or to admit/acknowledge something as being true or one's responsibility.
Used to emphasize personal identity, uniqueness, or direct involvement; also to describe something produced, created, or managed by oneself.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a verb, it has both a concrete sense (possession) and a psychological/emotional sense (acknowledgment). As an adjective, it functions as an intensifier following a possessive determiner.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in colloquial phrasing (e.g., 'on my own' vs. 'by myself' frequency). The adjective 'own-brand' (UK) vs. 'store-brand' (US).
Connotations
Broadly identical. The phrase 'own up' is slightly more colloquial in US English.
Frequency
Similar high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
verb + own + NP (He owns a flat.)verb + up (own up to something)adj + possessive + own (her own idea)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “come into its own”
- “hold one's own”
- “on one's own”
- “own up”
- “a legend in one's own lifetime”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to proprietary assets, intellectual property, or private enterprise (e.g., 'privately-owned company').
Academic
Used to denote original work or ideas (e.g., 'the author's own analysis').
Everyday
Common in discussions of personal possessions, responsibility, or independence (e.g., 'I made it with my own two hands').
Technical
In computing, refers to user permissions and file ownership (e.g., 'file owner').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Do you own the freehold of your flat?
- He finally owned up to breaking the window.
American English
- They own a ranch in Texas.
- You need to own your mistakes to learn from them.
adverb
British English
- She'd rather do it on her own, thanks.
American English
- He built the shed all on his own.
adjective
British English
- She makes her own clothes.
- Each child has their own bedroom.
American English
- I saw it with my own eyes.
- The company has its own security team.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have my own room.
- He owns a blue car.
- They hope to own their own home one day.
- You must do your own homework.
- The software is owned by a multinational corporation.
- She has a style very much her own.
- The minister was forced to own the policy's failure.
- The technology truly came into its own during the pandemic.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The word 'OWN' is in the middle of 'knOWN' and 'OWNer', linking it to knowledge and possession.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSSESSION IS CONTROL (to own land), ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS TAKING POSSESSION (to own a mistake), IDENTITY IS POSSESSION (my own self).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'own' as a direct translation for 'свой' in every reflexive possessive context (e.g., 'He took his coat' not *'He took his own coat' unless emphasizing).
- Do not confuse the adjective 'own' with 'alone' or 'self'. 'On my own' means 'by myself', not 'about myself'.
- The verb 'to own' is more permanent than 'to have' ('have' = обладать/иметь; 'own' = владеть).
Common Mistakes
- *I am own this car. (Correct: I own this car.)
- *It's mine own. (Correct: It's my own. / It's mine.)
- Overusing 'own' for simple possession where a possessive pronoun is sufficient.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase means 'to admit guilt'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. As a verb: 'I own a bike.' As an adjective (always used after a possessive word): 'my own bike'.
'Mine' is a possessive pronoun replacing a noun phrase ('The bike is mine'). 'My own' is an adjective phrase emphasizing personal possession and must be followed by a noun ('It is my own bike').
No, when used as an adjective, 'own' must follow a possessive determiner (e.g., my, your, their) or the possessive form of a noun (e.g., Sarah's own idea).
It means to be competent or successful in a difficult situation, especially in competition or comparison with others (e.g., 'Despite the pressure, she held her own in the debate').