thiers: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal / Standard
Quick answer
What does “thiers” mean?
Belonging to or associated with them (typically people or entities previously mentioned).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Belonging to or associated with them (typically people or entities previously mentioned).
Used to indicate possession for a plural or singular antecedent, often emphasizing or distinguishing the owners. It can refer to people, groups, companies, or abstract concepts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The standard spelling is 'theirs' in both varieties. 'Thiers' is a common misspelling. Punctuation in coordinated possessives may differ (e.g., 'It is Jane's and theirs' vs. 'It is Jane's and theirs').
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally standard and used at similar frequencies in formal writing. In casual speech, constructions like 'that's theirs' are common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “thiers” in a Sentence
[Be/Linking Verb] + theirsa [noun] of theirsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thiers” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (N/A - 'theirs' is not a verb)
American English
- (N/A - 'theirs' is not a verb)
adverb
British English
- (N/A - 'theirs' is not an adverb)
American English
- (N/A - 'theirs' is not an adverb)
adjective
British English
- (N/A - 'theirs' is a pronoun. The adjective form is 'their', as in 'their responsibility'.)
American English
- (N/A - 'theirs' is a pronoun. The adjective form is 'their', as in 'their responsibility'.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The intellectual property rights remain theirs after the contract ends."
Academic
"The researchers acknowledged that the foundational theory was originally theirs."
Everyday
"I think this umbrella is theirs; they left it here yesterday."
Technical
"The algorithm's output is dependent on the initial parameters, which are theirs to define."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “thiers”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “thiers”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thiers”
- Misspelling as 'thiers' (incorrect), 'thier's' (incorrect).
- Using 'their' without a following noun (e.g., 'That book is their.').
- Confusing 'there's' (contraction of 'there is') with 'theirs'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the correct spelling is 'theirs'. 'Thiers' is a common misspelling, likely due to the 'i before e' rule confusion.
'Their' is a possessive determiner and must come before a noun (e.g., their dog). 'Theirs' is a possessive pronoun and replaces a noun phrase (e.g., The dog is theirs).
Yes, it can. 'Theirs' is used for singular 'they' when the gender is unknown or non-binary (e.g., 'Someone left their bag; I think it's theirs').
It is 'a friend of theirs'. The construction 'a friend of + possessive pronoun' is standard. 'Their's' is never correct.
Belonging to or associated with them (typically people or entities previously mentioned).
Thiers is usually formal / standard in register.
Thiers: in British English it is pronounced /ðɛəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ðɛrz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A house of theirs (indicating one among their possessions)”
- “That problem is theirs to solve.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'HEIRS' inherit things. 'THEIRS' indicates what belongs to 'THEM' (both have 'THE').
Conceptual Metaphor
POSSESSION IS A LABEL (The tag 'theirs' is attached to the object).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'theirs' correctly?