What is the difference between self and ego?

Self means your inner person or identity. Ego usually means self-importance or pride.

Is self used in formal writing?

Yes, especially in psychology, education, and academic writing.

Can self be used alone in a sentence?

Yes. It often refers to a person's identity or inner nature.

← Dictionary

self

/sɛlf/

IELTSAcademic

noun

Your own person, mind, or identity. It can also mean the part of you that thinks, feels, and acts.

She found confidence in her true self.
He struggled with his sense of self.
Self is important in psychology.

prefix

Used before a noun or adjective to show that something is done by, for, or about the same person or thing. It often forms words like 'self-control' and 'self-made'.

She has strong self-control.
He is a self-taught engineer.
They held a self-funded event.

Adinary Nuance

Self is broader than ego and more personal than identity. Use self when you mean a person's inner being, not just their social role or image. In compounds like self-control, it shows that the action comes from the person themselves.

In other languages

Vietnamese: bản thân
Spanish: yo mismo
Chinese: 自我
Japanese: 自己
Korean: 자아

Etymology

Old English had the word 'self', from Germanic roots meaning 'same' or 'one's own'. It has stayed common in English for many centuries.

Common phrases

sense of selftrue selfself-controlself-made

Synonyms

identity personality ego

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between self and ego?: Self means your inner person or identity. Ego usually means self-importance or pride.
Is self used in formal writing?: Yes, especially in psychology, education, and academic writing.
Can self be used alone in a sentence?: Yes. It often refers to a person's identity or inner nature.