“They” has no true one-word synonym, because it is a pronoun. What you can do is replace it. Use a specific noun (the team, the students), a collective word (the group), a demonstrative phrase (those people), or a general word (people, everyone). The right choice depends on who you mean, how formal you are, and whether the sentence is clear. Below are the options, sorted by situation.
Quick Answer: What Can You Say Instead of “They”?
Pick the replacement that matches who you mean.
| If “they” means… | Try instead | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A specific group | The team, the group, the committee | The committee approved the budget. |
| Two people and it’s unclear which | The noun itself | The interns were nervous. |
| People in general | People, everyone, folks, one | People say the trail is steep. |
| One person, gender unknown | The person, the applicant, or a plural rewrite | Applicants must sign the form. |
| Formal writing | The participants, the respondents, the authors | The respondents agreed. |
Unclear: When the manager met the interns, they were nervous.
Clear: When the manager met the interns, the interns were nervous.
Is There a True Synonym for “They”?
No. Thesaurus.com notes that “they” is not traditionally thought of as having synonyms. A pronoun stands in for a noun, so any “replacement” is either a noun phrase or a different pronoun with a slightly different meaning.
That is why lists of “50 synonyms for they” can mislead. Words like those people or the group work only in some sentences. Treat them as options, not equivalents.
What “They” Means and How It Works
“They” is a third-person personal pronoun. It refers to people or things already mentioned or understood from context. In The neighbors left early because they had a long drive, “they” stands for “the neighbors.”
Pronunciation, Syllables and Part of Speech
“They” is pronounced /ðeɪ/ (rhymes with day, starting with the “th” sound in this). It has one syllable. Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com list this transcription, and I did not find a separate UK or US variant in the sources checked.
Its part of speech is personal pronoun, used as the subject of a verb.
Plural, Generic and Singular “They”
“They” works in three ways:
- Plural: The players trained hard because they wanted to win.
- Generic singular: If a customer calls, ask what they need. (The person’s gender is unknown or doesn’t matter.)
- Specific singular: Jordan said they would arrive at noon. (Jordan uses “they” as a pronoun.)
Singular “they” still takes a plural verb: they are, not they is. APA’s style guide endorses singular “they,” and most major dictionaries and style guides now accept it. Merriam-Webster named it Word of the Year for 2019. Style guides differ in wording, so check the one your school or employer follows.
Word Forms: They, Them, Their, Theirs, Themselves and Themself
| Form | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| they | Subject | They booked the tickets. |
| them | Object | I called them yesterday. |
| their | Possessive (before a noun) | Their flight was delayed. |
| theirs | Possessive (stands alone) | The red bag is theirs. |
| themselves | Reflexive (plural) | The kids made lunch themselves. |
| themself | Reflexive (singular) | Someone hurt themself on the ice. |
Both singular reflexive forms appear in print. APA accepts both, though “themselves” is more common. Merriam-Webster lists “themself” as nonstandard, so use “themselves” if you want the safest choice.
Where the Word Comes From
“They” entered English from Old Norse during the Middle English period and replaced an older Old English form. Dictionary.com dates its first recorded use to 1150–1200.
Alternatives to “They” by What You Mean
Repeat or Replace With a Specific Noun
The simplest fix is to name who you mean again. This is also the best fix when “they” could point to two groups.
- The tenants called the landlords, and the landlords promised repairs.
Collective Nouns (The Team, The Group, The Committee)
Collective nouns let you refer to a group as one unit.
- The board met on Monday. The board voted to delay the launch.
In American English, collective nouns usually take a singular verb when you mean the group as a unit.
Demonstratives (Those People, These Individuals)
Demonstratives point to a group already mentioned.
- Many residents objected. Those residents wanted a vote.
“Those people” can sound distant or dismissive, so use it carefully.
General References (People, Everyone, Someone, One)
For unspecified people, “they say” can be swapped for something more precise.
- People say the café closes early.
- Everyone should arrive by nine.
- One should always read the contract. (formal and a bit stiff in American English)
Gender-Neutral Options (and When Singular “They” Is Best)
If you don’t want to use singular “they,” you have three clean options:
- Use a role: the applicant, the user, the patient.
- Rewrite as plural: Applicants must submit their forms.
- Drop the pronoun: Submit the form before the deadline.
“He or she” works but gets clumsy fast. For a specific person who uses “they,” always use “they.” The APA guide says to use a person’s self-identified pronouns.
Best Alternative by Tone and Context
Formal and Academic Writing
Prefer precise nouns: the participants, the respondents, the authors, the researchers.
- The respondents reported higher stress levels.
Workplace and Professional Writing
Name roles or teams: the client, the design team, our vendors, stakeholders.
- The design team will share mockups on Friday.
Casual and Conversational Writing
In everyday speech, “they” is natural. Add variety with folks, people, the guys (use with care) or a name.
- My cousins are coming, so the whole crew will be there.
Fiction and Storytelling
Repeated “they” can blur characters. Use names, descriptions, or actions to anchor each moment.
- Nina and Omar reached the cabin at dusk. The siblings dropped their bags by the door.
Example Sentences: Before and After Replacing “They”
Before: The students emailed the teachers, and they replied within an hour.
After: The students emailed the teachers, and the teachers replied within an hour.
Before: They say the museum is free on Sundays.
After: Locals say the museum is free on Sundays.
Before: If an employee is sick, they should notify HR.
After: Employees who are sick should notify HR.
Before: They arrived late, and they were tired.
After: The travelers arrived late, exhausted from the long flight.
When to Keep “They” and When to Replace It
Fixing an Unclear Pronoun Reference
Replace “they” when a reader could ask, “Who does they mean?” This happens most often when two plural nouns appear before it.
- Unclear: The parents told the coaches they were proud.
- Clear: The parents told the coaches, “We are proud.”
Avoiding Repetition Without Sounding Awkward
Do not swap “they” for a different phrase every time. Forced variety sounds unnatural. If the referent is clear, keep “they.”
They vs. Them, Their, There and One
They vs. Them
“They” is the subject; “them” is the object. Test it by swapping in “we” or “us.” They asked us becomes We asked them.
- They invited me. (subject)
- I invited them. (object)
They vs. Their vs. There vs. They’re
These four sound similar but do different jobs. “They’re” is “they are,” “their” shows possession, and “there” points to a place or introduces a statement.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| They’re | They are | They’re waiting outside. |
| Their | Belonging to them | Their car is blue. |
| There | A place; “there is/are” | Put it over there. |
If you can say “they are” in the spot, write “they’re.”
They vs. One
“They” is natural in everyday English. “One” is a formal way to talk about people in general.
- You can’t always trust reviews. (conversational)
- One cannot always trust reviews. (formal)
Avoid mixing them in the same sentence.
Common Mistakes and Misspellings
| Mistake | Fix | Why |
|---|---|---|
| They is ready. | They are ready. | “They” always takes a plural verb, even for one person. |
| Their going home. | They’re going home. | You need “they are” here. |
| I saw they at the mall. | I saw them at the mall. | “Them” is the object form. |
| Each student signed there form. | Each student signed their form. | “Their” shows possession. |
| The kids dressed themself. | The kids dressed themselves. | Plural subject, plural reflexive. |
Common misspellings include thay, theyre, they’r, and thier (a scrambled “their”). Spellcheck often misses “their” and “there” because both are real words.
Common Idioms and Phrases With “They”
- They say: a way to share something many people believe. They say patience pays off.
- Let the chips fall where they may: accept the outcome of a decision without trying to control it.
- The bigger they come, the harder they fall: powerful people or things can suffer larger failures.
In each phrase, “they” is generic and refers to people or things in general.
Memory Tricks for Choosing the Right Word
These are learning aids, not official grammar rules.
- There contains here, and both are about place.
- They’re has an apostrophe standing in for the missing “a” in “they are.”
- Their contains heir, and an heir is someone who inherits what belongs to them.
Practice Exercise
- Choose the correct word: “___ planning a surprise party.” (a) Their (b) There (c) They’re
- Fill in the blank: “The students finished early, so ___ left.” (they / them)
- Correct the sentence: “They is waiting outside.”
- Choose the correct word: “Please give the keys to ___.” (a) them (b) they
- Rewrite to remove ambiguity: “When the nurses met the patients, they were worried.”
- Choose the correct word: “Each participant must sign ___ form.” (a) there (b) their
- Choose the correct word: “The twins taught ___ to swim.” (themself / themselves)
- Identify the part of speech of “they” in: “They arrived late.”
Answers and Explanations
- (c) They’re. It means “they are.”
- they. It is the subject of “left.”
- They are waiting outside. “They” takes “are,” never “is.”
- (a) them. It is the object of the preposition “to.”
- Open answer. For example: “When the nurses met the patients, the patients were worried.” Either noun is fine as long as the meaning is clear.
- (b) their. It shows possession.
- themselves. The subject is plural (the twins).
- Personal pronoun (subject). It replaces a noun and acts as the subject.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is another word for “they”?
There is no exact synonym. Use a noun (the team), a collective word (the group), a demonstrative phrase (those people), or a general word (people, everyone) depending on the sentence.
Does “they” have a true synonym?
No. As a pronoun, “they” only stands in for nouns. Other words can replace it in specific sentences but are not exact equivalents.
Is “they” singular or plural?
Both. It is a plural pronoun and also a singular one for a person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or nonbinary. Either way, use a plural verb.
Why do we say “they are” for one person?
The verb follows the pronoun’s form, not the number of people. English does the same with “you”: we say “you are” whether we mean one person or many.
What can I say instead of “they” in formal writing?
Use precise nouns such as the participants, respondents, authors, or employees. They improve clarity and avoid vague pronoun references.
What is a gender-neutral alternative to “they”?
You can use a role (the applicant), rewrite in the plural (applicants), or drop the pronoun. Singular “they” is also widely accepted.
Is “themself” correct, or should I use “themselves”?
Both appear in print and APA accepts both. “Themselves” is more common and is the safer choice, since Merriam-Webster labels “themself” nonstandard.
What is the difference between “they” and “them”?
“They” is the subject form; “them” is the object form. They called me uses “they”; I called them uses “them.”
What is the difference between “their,” “there” and “they’re”?
“Their” shows possession, “there” refers to a place, and “they’re” means “they are.” If “they are” fits the sentence, write “they’re.”
How do I avoid repeating “they” in an essay?
Name the people or groups again, use a collective noun, or restructure the sentence. If the referent is clear, repeating “they” is fine.
What is the opposite of “they”?
“They” has no direct antonym. Pronouns like “we,” “I,” or “you” contrast with it by changing who is being talked about, but they are not true opposites.
What does “they say” mean?
It introduces something many people claim or believe, without naming a source. They say rain is coming means people are saying it, not a specific group.
The Short Version: Choosing the Right Alternative to “They”
“They” has no perfect synonym, so the best replacement is whatever makes your meaning clearest. Name the group, use a collective noun, or switch to a general word like “people” when the referent is vague. When “they” is already clear, keep it. Remember the quick check: if “they are” fits, write “they’re.”
