herself

[ her-self ]

pronoun

1. an emphatic appositive of her or she:

   She herself wrote the letter.

2. a reflexive form of her:

   She supports herself.

3. (used in absolute constructions):

   Herself still only a child, she had to take care of her four younger brothers and sisters.

4. (used as the object of a preposition or as the direct or indirect object of a verb):

   She gave herself a facial massage. He asked her for a picture of herself.

5. (used in comparisons after as or than ):

   She found out that the others were even more nervous than herself.

6. her normal or customary self:

   After a few weeks of rest, she will be herself again.

herself

/ həˈsɛlf /

pronoun

1. 1. the reflexive form of she or her
   2. (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. the wife or woman of the house

   is herself at home?

Usage Note

See myself.

Word History and Origins

Origin of herself¹

before 1000; Middle English hire-selfe, Old English hire self. See her, self

Example Sentences

Two years ago, the actor found herself in an Oscars controversy after being snubbed for ‘Till.’

From Los Angeles Times

By 1972, at just 26, she felt "trapped" in a "loveless marriage" and was almost driven to harm herself.

From Salon

Without public schools, she knew, she could never learn enough to become a schoolteacher herself.

From Slate

One is the latest contender by a 15-time nominee and honorary Oscar recipient who has been in the business for more than 40 years, sung by a recent Oscar winner herself.

From Los Angeles Times

Her description of herself as demisexual got a lot of viewers wondering what the term "demisexual" means.

From BBC