ego

noun

ˈē-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce ego (audio)
 also  ˈe-
plural egos
1
: the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world
2
3
: the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality compare id, superego
egoless adjective

Did you know?

Ego is the Latin word for "I." So if a person seems to begin every sentence with "I", it's sometimes a sign of a big ego. It was the psychologist Sigmund Freud (well, actually his original translator) who put ego into the popular vocabulary, but what he meant by the word is complex, so only other psychologists really use it in the Freudian sense. The rest of us generally use ego simply to mean one's sense of self-worth, whether exaggerated or not. When used in the "exaggerated" sense, ego is almost the same thing as conceit. Meeting a superstar athlete without a trace of this kind of ego would be a most refreshing experience. But having a reasonable sense of your own worth is no sin. Life's little everyday victories are good—in fact, necessary—for a healthy ego.

Examples of ego in a Sentence

I have enough ego not to want to give up easily in any contest or competition. a star athlete with a refreshing lack of ego
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just like on Succession, the fragile egos, myopic intelligence, and delusional self-righteousness of these uber-wealthy nuts go haywire pretty quickly. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025 The leaders who earn trust today are those who anchor their work not in ego or optics, but in meaning—and who cultivate cultures that transform purpose into aligned, high-velocity execution. Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 This could feel like a clash between your ego, passions and leadership, and the desire to go at your own pace and live in the moment. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025 Madrid, whose calendar is now rather less full, have wounded egos to repair. Jack Lang, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ego

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, I — more at i

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ego was in 1789

Cite this Entry

“Ego.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ego. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

ego

noun
plural egos
1
: self entry 2 sense 1
especially : the conscious self
2
a
: conceit sense 1
has a big ego

Medical Definition

ego

noun
ˈē-(ˌ)gō also ˈeg-(ˌ)ō
plural egos
1
: the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world
2
: the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality compare id entry 1, superego

More from Merriam-Webster on ego

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