own
gb/ˈoʊn/ us/ˈoʊn/
A1
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
action
1
Have something as property
To have something that belongs to you.
Usage pattern:
to own [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'own' with 'have'. 'Own' emphasizes legal possession, while 'have' can mean simply holding or experiencing something.
Synonyms
possess (More formal; often used in legal or technical contexts.)
Antonyms
rent (To use something temporarily in exchange for payment, without owning it.)
Collocations
own property
|own a car
|own a house
|own shares
|own a business
Themes
daily life
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She owns three houses in the city.
- Do you own this laptop?
- They own a small bakery in town.
- He owns several shares in the company.
- I don't own any pets.
Learner examples
- I own a red car.
- She owns a dog.
- We own a small shop.
- Do you own this phone?
- They own a big house.
adjective
A2
property
2
Belonging to oneself
Belonging to the person or thing we talk about.
Usage pattern:
[someone's] own [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may omit 'own' when they want to emphasize possession, making the sentence less clear.
Synonyms
personal (Focuses on being private or individual rather than on ownership.)
Antonyms
shared (Used by more than one person, not belonging to only one.)
Collocations
my own room
|her own idea
|his own car
|their own home
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She has her own apartment now.
- Bring your own lunch to school.
- He fixed his own bike.
- I have my own reasons for leaving.
Learner examples
- This is my own pen.
- He has his own bed.
- We have our own room.
- She likes her own clothes.
Verb
slang
B2
action
3
Defeat or embarrass someone
To beat someone very badly or make them feel stupid, especially online.
Usage pattern:
to own [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand slang 'own' as literal possession rather than defeat; context is key.
Synonyms
crush (Informal; emphasizes overwhelming victory.)
Antonyms
lose to (To be defeated by someone else.)
Collocations
totally own
|completely owned
|owned in debate
Themes
internet
|sports
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He totally owned his opponent in the game.
- She owned him during the debate.
- That comedian really owned the heckler.
Learner examples
- He owned me in the game.
- She owned her friend in chess.
- The player owned his rival.
Grammar
Dictionary form
own
IPA
GB/ˈoʊn/
US/ˈoʊn/
Syllables & stress
own (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (own)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: own
Verb
- Base: own
- 3rd Person Singular: owns
- Present Participle: owning
- Past: owned
Word family
Expressions
hold your own
1/hˈoʊld jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn/
idiom
Perform as well as others
To do as well as other people in a situation.
Examples
- Even against more experienced players, she can hold her own.
- He held his own in the discussion with experts.
make something your own
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmθɪŋ jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
Adapt something for yourself
To change something so it feels personal and right for you.
Examples
- She made the recipe her own by adding spices.
- He took the song and made it his own.
on one's own
1/ˈɔn wˈʌnz ˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
Alone or without help
Alone, or without anyone helping you.
Examples
- She traveled to Japan on her own.
- He built the shed on his own.
own up to
1/ˈoʊn ˈʌp tə/
phrasal verb
Admit responsibility for wrongdoing
To say that you did something wrong or bad.
Examples
- He owned up to breaking the window.
- She owned up to her mistake at work.