Recent Examples on the Web Housing experts agree there are not enough homes available to rent or own compared to the demand. — Anna Bahney, CNN , 19 Mar. 2024 Sentimentality is the solution for dramatists who don’t want to grapple too strenuously with their own questions. — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times , 19 Mar. 2024 Read: Megan Garber on the logical fallacy of Christine Blasey Ford’s ‘choice’ Ford’s own story, in many ways, was an exception to #MeToo’s rule. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic , 19 Mar. 2024 That makes each piece, with its own technology and priorities, a potential gateway to the whole medical universe. — Joseph Menn, Washington Post , 19 Mar. 2024 At Disney’s 2024 annual shareholders meeting, to be held virtually April 3, investors will vote on rival board candidate slates — Disney’s own 12-member lineup, Nelson Peltz’s Trian Partners two nominees (Peltz and ex-Disney CFO Jay Rasulo) or three from investment firm Blackwells Capital. — Todd Spangler, Variety , 19 Mar. 2024 The trailer kicks off with Lee Jung-jae’s Jedi Master urging a group of Padawans to not trust their own deceitful eyes, and perhaps the same can be said of the trailer and the series’ overall narrative. — Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter , 19 Mar. 2024 But as Christian points out, any hunter unfamiliar with the area, through no fault of their own , is likely to voice support for more hunting opportunity regardless of the circumstances. — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life , 8 Mar. 2024 The 43-year-old man was charged March 7 with theft for stealing from the Four Winds Casino, which is owned by the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Tribe, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. — Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star , 8 Mar. 2024 Residents in this household own a car valued at $26,420, based on the best selling cars last year. — David Lightman, Sacramento Bee , 8 Mar. 2024 Burrell’s parents, Pearlie and Roosevelt Burrell Jr., owned Chamberlain Plaza and operated their businesses in the plaza. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram , 8 Mar. 2024 Lagerfeld owned many homes over the years, including an apartment in New York’s Gramercy Park and a villa in France. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report , 8 Mar. 2024 Janet Song owns seasonal-pickle purveyor In a Pickle, and traveled from Long Beach to be there. — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times , 8 Mar. 2024 According to a recent Oxfam report, men globally now own $105 trillion more wealth than women, which is four times the size of the U.S. economy. — Luba Kassova, Fortune , 8 Mar. 2024 Segura owns a podcasting company, Your Mom’s House Studios, and the tour section of each of their respective websites is jam-packed with stand-up dates. — Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter , 8 Mar. 2024 Summer Lucille Summer Lucille owns the plus-size boutique Juicy Body Goddess at Charlotte’s Northlake Mall, which sells sizes 12-30, or XL-6XL. — Jodie Valade, Charlotte Observer , 8 Mar. 2024 See More These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'own.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Adjective

Middle English oȝen, owen, awen, going back to Old English āgen, originally past participle of āgan "to possess, own, have" — more at owe

Note: Similar use of the past participle of the cognate verb is evident in other Germanic languages: Old Frisian āin, ēin, ēgen "own," Old Saxon ēgan, Middle Dutch ēghin, eighen, Old High German eigan, Old Icelandic eiginn.

probably verbal derivative of own entry 1

Note: This verb is apparently unattested before the late sixteenth century, and is not continuous with early Middle English æȝenen, ahnen, ahnien (Layamon's Brut, Ormulum ) "to gain control of, have possession of," going back to Old English āgnian "to own, possess, take possession of" (with parallel forms in other Germanic languages), a derivative of āgen own entry 1 . Compare owner , from which own may be in part a back-formation.

Pronoun

Middle English owne, going back to Old English āgen, nominalized form of āgen own entry 1

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

The first known use of own was before the 12th century See more words from the same century

a legend in one's own time

a taste / dose of someone's own medicine

beat someone at their own game

at one's own risk

at someone's own pace

all someone's own

at one's own peril

by one's own hand

by one's own account

blow one's own trumpet

bend under one's own weight

by one's own bootstraps

by one's own admission

bring your own bottle

be left to one's own devices

be one's own boss

blow one's own horn

be / become one's own man

go one's own way

get one's own back

for one's own benefit

do one's own thing

dig one's own grave

cut one's own throat

for one's own good

each to his own

died by her own hand

come into one's own

co - own

have / get one's (own) way

have a mind of one's own

hoist with one's own petard

in its own right

in a league of one's own

in its own time

in one's own right

have it one's (own) way

hold one's own

hoist by one's own petard

in a world of one's own

leave someone to his or her own devices

lead one's own life

know one's own heart / mind

in one's own world

in one's own (good) time

in the comfort of one's own home

in one's (own) sweet time

into one's own pockets

in one's own time

one's own man

of one's own volition

of one's very own

of one's own making

of one's own accord

of its own accord

off one's own bat

not know one's own strength

make up your own mind

make (something) one's own

one's very own

on one's own

on one's own account

on one's own authority

on one's own merits

on one's own hook

on one's own initiative

on one's own terms

on one's own time

on one's own responsibility

own - brand

out of one's own pocket

on someone's own recognizance

own goal

own - label

pull one's own weight

plough one's own furrow

pay one's own way

run / live one's own life

run one's own life

set one's own house in order

seed / seeds of one's own destruction

stew in one's own juice / juices

stand on one's own two feet

stand on one's own feet

sign one's own death warrant

take one's own life

take on a life of its own

take matters into one's own hands

take one's (own) sweet time

take (something) into one's (own) hands

take the law into one's own hands

to each his own

to call one's own

toot one's own horn

under one's own power

under its own steam

write one's own ticket

own up

See More “Own.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/own. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.

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