Meaning & use
owns
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“owns” is a form of “own”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Has something as property; possesses it legally.
Grammar: Takes an object: She owns a car.
Patterns
- own something
- own a house
- own a company
She owns a small bookshop in the town center.
They own two cars and a motorcycle.
He owns the land that the factory is built on.
verbtransitiveformalold-fashioned
Admits or accepts that something is true, especially a fault or mistake.
Grammar: Often followed by 'up' or by a clause: own up to something; own that you were wrong.
Patterns
- own that ...
- own up to something
He owned that he had made a mistake.
She owned up to breaking the window.
Common combinations
- own a business
- Many people dream of owning a business.
- own property
- They own property in several countries.
- own up to something
- He finally owned up to his mistake.
Synonyms and how they differ
- possess
- More formal than 'own'; it can also mean simply to have something, not necessarily as legal property.
- have
- Much more general; 'own' emphasizes legal ownership.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: owns or owes?
owns vs owes
'Owes' means is in debt to someone; 'owns' means has something as property. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Practice
She ______ a beautiful house by the lake.
Choose one answer.
The subject 'she' needs the third person singular form 'owns'. 'Own' is for I/you/we/they; 'owes' means owes money; 'owning' is not a finite verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “owns”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.