play video his or her
Usage Notes

Is singular 'they' a better choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'


"Everyone should do his or her best in whatever situations he or she happens to find himself or herself in?" That's awkward. Perhaps everyone should just do their best in the situations they find themselves in. Even if their best involves they as a singular pronoun.

Up next

play video his or her
Is singular 'they' a better choice?

 

The awkward case of 'his or her'

play ismo merriam webster trunk boot
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"

 

Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk

play is none singular or plural video
Is 'none' singular or plural?

 

Or both? Or neither?

play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

play video how a word gets into the dicionary
How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

What our editors are looking for when they enter words in Merriam-Webster.

play video cynic
The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

play video old school grammar humorsome
Old-School Grammar

 

Many of today's grammar rules can be traced to the opinions of one 18th century writer.