as in natures
the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others
some believe that it's only in times of great stress that a person's true self is revealed
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Recent Examples of selves
Advertisement EPiC mixes concert footage with interstitial clips of Elvis just being Elvis, as if to collapse, as much as will ever be possible, the distance between his public and private selves.
—
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
The Bulls returned to a vague semblance of their former selves with guards Giddey and Jones back on the court.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Each of these religious traditions urges its adherents to reflect on where they are headed, to return to God, to each other, to their best selves.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
Jack Doss will be the team’s ace, and if a pitching staff that also brings back Jacob Sainz, Colby Driskell and Gonzalez jells, the Raiders will be their usual stout selves.
—Colby Gordon, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
Bringing your whole selves to work means bringing a truckload of emotions.
—Catherine Mevs, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Juuse Saaros and Connor Hellebuyck haven’t been their normal selves for their NHL teams this season.
—Chris Pronger, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Most, if not all, of our clients are going out into the world as less than their whole selves out of necessity, as a survival tactic.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
But not at the expense of potentially increasing the chances of hurting our October selves.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
The Bulls returned to a vague semblance of their former selves with guards Giddey and Jones back on the court.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Each of these religious traditions urges its adherents to reflect on where they are headed, to return to God, to each other, to their best selves.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
Jack Doss will be the team’s ace, and if a pitching staff that also brings back Jacob Sainz, Colby Driskell and Gonzalez jells, the Raiders will be their usual stout selves.
—Colby Gordon, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
Bringing your whole selves to work means bringing a truckload of emotions.
—Catherine Mevs, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Juuse Saaros and Connor Hellebuyck haven’t been their normal selves for their NHL teams this season.
—Chris Pronger, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Most, if not all, of our clients are going out into the world as less than their whole selves out of necessity, as a survival tactic.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
But not at the expense of potentially increasing the chances of hurting our October selves.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selves
Noun
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But Lau wonders whether Horses will be able to avoid conflict, due to their inherent independent natures.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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Hval’s restless melodies and at-times Proustian lyrics trail cigarette smoke or the fragrance of roses toward litanies of memory, all the while deconstructing the very natures of stage performance, recording technology, and digital existence.—
Jenn Pelly,
Time,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
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As a result, the final lineup is a mix of personalities, skillsets, and nationalities.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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But the challenges in coming up with a proposal that voters will support go beyond personalities.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, Jung Saem Mool Beauty, named after its famous founder – a Korean celebrity makeup artist – recently launched cushion foundations designed for darker skin tones.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Glass vases with pink orchids were placed throughout the presentation space, complementing the earthy tones and bright accents in Zimbalist's designs.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Besides, the fact that the characters can articulate with clarity their own needs, desires, shortcomings, and successes creates an illusion of perfect self-awareness.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
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Based on a manga by Tomoko Yamashita, the series takes its name from the loose central conceit, in which one of the two main characters — sweet but sheltered 15-year-old Asa — keeps a journal recording her daily thoughts in the weeks and months following a car crash that takes her parents’ lives.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Selves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selves. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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