ego
gb/ˈiɡoʊ/ us/ˈiɡoʊ/
B2
English
~ 6000
egó, én, különálló én
NOUN
B2
1
egó
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s ego
His ego was badly hurt when he didn’t get the promotion.
Nagyon megsérült az egója, amikor nem kapta meg az előléptetést.
She has a huge ego and hates to admit she’s wrong.
Hatalmas egója van, és utálja beismerni, hogy téved.
Winning the award gave her ego a real boost.
He’s letting his ego get in the way of good decisions.
Their egos are too big for them to work together peacefully.
Learner examples
His ego was hurt when he lost the game.
Sérült az egója, amikor elveszítette a meccset.
She has a big ego and talks about herself a lot.
Nagy egója van, és sokat beszél magáról.
The prize was an ego boost for the whole team.
Do not let your ego stop you from saying sorry.
A healthy ego helps you feel good about yourself.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'ego' with 'egoism' or 'egotism'. 'Ego' is the sense of self or self-importance. 'Egoism' and 'egotism' describe selfish or self-centered attitudes and are usually more negative. Learners also sometimes say *'I have an ego'* when they mean *'I have a big ego'* or *'My ego is very strong.'*
Meaning
a person's sense of self-importance
Collocations
big ego
|fragile ego
|healthy ego
|huge ego
|male ego
|ego boost
Synonyms
self-esteem (Focuses more on a person's general feeling of self-worth, not just their sense of importance.)
|
pride (Suggests satisfaction in oneself; can be positive or negative and is less technical than 'ego'.)
|
self-importance (Emphasizes an exaggerated feeling of being more important than others, often negative.)
Antonyms
humility (A modest view of one's own importance, the opposite attitude of a strong or inflated ego.)
|
modesty (Not talking about or showing off one's abilities; contrasts with a big or strong ego.)
Themes
emotions
|personality
|psychology
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
How important and good a person feels they are, especially when this feeling is strong and affects their behavior.
A person's overall sense of self-importance and self-worth, especially when it affects how they think, feel, or behave.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
the ego
In Freud’s model, the ego mediates between the id and the superego.
Freud modelljében az én az ösztönén és a felettes én között közvetít.
The therapist explained how a strong ego helps a person cope with reality.
A terapeuta elmagyarázta, hogyan segít az erős én abban, hogy az ember megbirkózzon a valósággal.
Ego defenses are strategies the ego uses to protect us from anxiety.
Classical psychoanalysis places great importance on the development of the ego.
The book gives a clear overview of ego functions in child psychology.
Learner examples
In Freud’s theory, the ego sits between the id and the superego.
Freud elméletében az én az ösztönén és a felettes én között helyezkedik el.
The ego helps a person deal with real life and make choices.
Az én segít az embernek boldogulni a valóságban és döntéseket hozni.
Some psychologists study how the ego develops in children.
The ego uses different defenses to reduce fear and stress.
This class will explain what the word 'ego' means in psychoanalysis.
Common mistake:
Learners may mix the everyday meaning of 'ego' (self-importance) with the technical Freudian meaning. In most daily conversations, 'ego' does NOT mean 'the part of the mind that mediates'; this sense appears mainly in psychology, philosophy, or academic texts.
Meaning
Freudian part of the mind (ego)
Collocations
the ego and the id
|ego psychology
|ego defenses
|ego development
Synonyms
self (Very general term for a person’s being; in psychology contexts it can overlap with the Freudian ego but is broader and less technical.)
|
conscious mind (Highlights awareness; overlaps with the ego’s role in reality-testing but does not include all its functions in psychoanalytic theory.)
Antonyms
id (In Freudian theory, the part of the mind containing basic, unconscious drives, which the ego must control or manage.)
|
superego (In Freudian theory, the internalized moral standards and ideals that judge the ego’s decisions.)
Themes
psychology
|science
|health
|education
Definition
In psychology, the part of the mind that helps you make realistic choices between what you want, what is right, and what is possible in real life.
In psychoanalytic theory, the part of the mind that organizes thoughts, makes realistic decisions, and mediates between instinctual desires, moral standards, and the external world.
NOUN
C1
3
egó
B2
különálló én
B2
Usage pattern:
the ego
Many meditation practices aim to loosen the grip of the ego.
Sok meditációs gyakorlat arra irányul, hogy gyengítse az egó szorítását.
In his writing, he describes a moment of ego death during a silent retreat.
Írásában leírja, hogyan élt át egy pillanatnyi egóhalált egy csendes elvonuláson.
Some spiritual teachers say that suffering comes from identifying too strongly with the ego.
The book explores how the ego creates a feeling of separation from others.
Psychedelic experiences can sometimes temporarily dissolve the ego.
Learner examples
Some people try to let go of the ego through meditation.
Vannak, akik meditációval próbálják elengedni az egót.
She says real peace comes when the ego becomes weaker.
Azt mondja, az igazi béke akkor jön el, amikor az egó meggyengül.
The teacher talked about ego death in a spiritual way.
They believe the ego makes us feel alone and separate.
He wants to move beyond his ego and feel more connected to others.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this spiritual sense is the same as simply 'pride' or 'self-importance'. In spiritual or self-help texts, 'ego' often means the feeling of being a separate 'I', not only being proud or arrogant.
Meaning
the separate individual self
Collocations
transcend the ego
|let go of the ego
|ego death
|dissolve the ego
|overcome the ego
Synonyms
individual self (Neutral term that focuses on the personal, separate nature of the self without the spiritual or critical tone that 'ego' often has.)
|
sense of self (General term for how one experiences being oneself; overlaps strongly but is less often used in spiritual language about 'letting go'.)
Antonyms
oneness (Spiritual idea of no separation between self and everything else, which is what 'losing the ego' aims at.)
|
selflessness (Not focusing on oneself; contrasts with being strongly attached to the ego as a separate self.)
Themes
spirituality
|philosophy
|psychology
|emotions
|religion
|education
Definition
Your sense of yourself as a separate person, especially when people talk about letting go of this feeling in a spiritual or philosophical way.
The individual sense of self as a separate, personal identity, especially in philosophical, religious, or self-help contexts where it may be seen as something to reduce or transcend.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ego
IPA
GB/ˈiɡoʊ/
US/ˈiɡoʊ/
Syllables & stress
ego (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ego)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ego
- Plural: egos
Word family
Forms
egos
noun
Core family
egotistical
adjective
egotism
noun
Related words
egotist
noun
egocentric
adjective
egocentrism
noun
Advanced or less common
egoism
noun
egoist
noun
egoistic
adjective
egotistically
adverb
Expressions
big ego
1/bˈɪɡ ˈiɡoʊ/
fixed phrase
an exaggerated sense of importance
To have a very high opinion of yourself, often too high.
Examples
- He’s talented, but his big ego makes him hard to work with.
- Her big ego won’t let her admit she made a mistake.
boost someone's ego
1/bˈust sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈiɡoʊ/
fixed phrase
to increase someone's self-esteem
To make someone feel more important or more confident about themselves.
Examples
- Winning that prize really boosted his ego.
- She complimented him to boost his ego before the interview.
check your ego at the door
1/t͡ʃˈɛk jˈʊɹ ˈiɡoʊ ˈæt ðə dˈɔɹ/
idiom
informal
set aside your pride first
To enter a place or situation ready to work with others, without acting proud or selfish.
Examples
- On this team, you need to check your ego at the door.
- Before we start this project, let’s all check our egos at the door.
ego boost
1/ˈiɡoʊ bˈust/
fixed phrase
something that raises self-esteem
Something that makes you feel more important, proud, or confident.
Examples
- The positive review was a much-needed ego boost for the team.
- Getting so many likes on her post gave her a little ego boost.
ego clash
1/ˈiɡoʊ klˈæʃ/
fixed phrase
conflict between strong egos
A fight or problem that happens because two people both have strong egos and will not give up.
Examples
- The meeting turned into an ego clash between the two directors.
- An ego clash in the band eventually led to their breakup.
ego death
1/ˈiɡoʊ dˈɛθ/
fixed phrase
loss of normal sense of self
A strong experience, often spiritual or drug-related, where your usual feeling of being a separate 'I' seems to disappear for a time.
Examples
- Some people describe deep meditation as a kind of ego death.
- The article explores reports of ego death during psychedelic experiences.
ego trip
1/ˈiɡoʊ tɹˈɪp/
fixed phrase
informal
activity to feel superior
An activity or behavior you do mainly to feel important, powerful, or better than other people.
Examples
- Running the project turned into an ego trip for him.
- The speech felt less like a report and more like an ego trip.
stroke someone's ego
1/stɹˈoʊk sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈiɡoʊ/
idiom
informal
to flatter someone's sense of importance
To say nice things to someone mainly to make them feel important or pleased with themselves.
Examples
- The manager stroked his ego with constant praise.
- She knows how to stroke his ego when she wants something.
stroke someone's ego
2/stɹˈoʊk sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈiɡoʊ/
idiom
praise to make someone feel important
To say nice things to someone so they feel more important or proud, often to get something from them.
Examples
- He loves it when people stroke his ego and tell him how talented he is.
- You don’t have to stroke her ego; just be honest.
- The ad is clearly designed to stroke the customer’s ego.