myself

[ mahy-self ]

pronoun

, plural our·selves [ahr-, selvz, ou, uh, r-, ou-er-].

1. (used as an intensive of me or I ):

   I myself will challenge the winner.

2. (used reflexively in place of me as the object of a preposition or as the direct or indirect object of a verb):

   I gave myself a good rubdown. She asked me for a picture of myself.

3. Informal. (used in place of I or me, especially in compound subjects, objects, and complements):

   My wife and myself fully agree. She wanted John and myself to take charge. The originators of the plan were my partner and myself.

4. (used in place of I or me after as, than, or but ):

   He knows as much about the matter as myself.

5. my normal or customary self:

   After a few days of rest, I expect to be myself again.

myself

/ maɪˈsɛlf /

pronoun

1. 1. the reflexive form of I or me
   2. (intensifier)

      I myself know of no answer

2. preceded by a copula my usual self

   I'm not myself today

3. not_standard.
   used instead of I or me in compound noun phrases

   John and myself are voting together

Usage Note

There is no disagreement over the use of myself and other -self forms when they are used intensively ( I myself cannot agree ) or reflexively ( He introduced himself proudly ). Questions are raised, however, when the -self forms are used instead of the personal pronouns ( I, me, etc.) as subjects, objects, or complements. Myself occurs only rarely as a single subject in place of I: Myself was the one who called. The recorded instances of such use are mainly poetic or literary. It is also uncommon as a simple object in place of me : Since the letter was addressed to myself, I opened it. As part of a compound subject, object, or complement, myself and to a lesser extent the other -self forms are common in informal speech and personal writing, somewhat less common in more formal speech and writing: The manager and myself completed the arrangements. Many came to welcome my husband and myself back to Washington. Myself and other -self forms are also used, alone or with other nouns or pronouns, in constructions after as, than, or but in all varieties of speech and writing: The captain has far more experience than myself in such matters. Orders have arrived for everyone but the orderlies and yourself. There is ample precedent, going as far back as Chaucer and running through the whole range of British and American literature and other serious formal writing, for all these uses. Many usage guides, however, state that to use myself in any construction in which I or me could be used instead (as My daughter and myself play the flute instead of My daughter and I, or a gift for my husband and myself instead of for my husband and me ) is characteristic only of informal speech and that such use ought not to occur in writing. me.

Word History and Origins

Origin of myself¹

before 900; my + self; replacing Middle English meself, Old English mē selfum (dative)

Example Sentences

“I would never compare myself with Hitchcock, but it’s almost like ‘Rear Window.’

From Los Angeles Times

“I see a lot of myself in her, especially as somebody who’s disabled, going off to college and finally feeling like you have that freedom for the first time,” said Bode, now 24 years old.

From Los Angeles Times

In my hospital bed, I turned the camera on myself, not as a self-indulgence, but to spotlight a nasty cancer that’s hard to treat and even harder to beat.

From BBC

I thought releasing a pilot would be a way to challenge myself, so I was like, all right, I’d love to play three different characters in a dysfunctional family show.

From Los Angeles Times

"I beat myself up that I didn't stop him going out," she said.

From BBC