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Meaning & use

treat yourself

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌtriːt jɔːˈself/
US/ˌtriːt jʊrˈself/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    To buy or do something pleasant for yourself because you want to, not because you need to.

    Grammar: Takes 'to' before the treat: treat yourself to something. The reflexive pronoun changes with the subject: I treated myself, she treated herself.

    Patterns

    • treat yourself to something
    • treat myself to something
    • treat yourself to doing something

    You've worked hard all week, so treat yourself to a nice dinner.

    I treated myself to a new pair of shoes after I got paid.

    Treat yourself to a long bath and an early night.

  2. phraseidiominformal

    To allow yourself something you usually avoid, especially as a reward or comfort.

    Grammar: Often used as advice or encouragement, sometimes with 'a little' or 'a bit of': treat yourself to a little rest.

    Patterns

    • treat yourself to something
    • go on, treat yourself

    Go on, treat yourself to a piece of cake — you've earned it.

    She treats herself to a lie-in every Sunday morning.

    After exams, we treated ourselves to a weekend away.

Common combinations

treat yourself to something
Treat yourself to something small and cheerful this weekend.
go on, treat yourself
Go on, treat yourself — the sale ends today.
treat yourself for once
For once, treat yourself instead of buying gifts for everyone else.
deserve to treat yourself
You deserve to treat yourself after such a busy month.
treat yourself to a little something
She treated herself to a little something from the bakery.

Synonyms and how they differ

indulge yourself
Very close in meaning, but it suggests going beyond what is sensible and is often slightly critical.
splurge
Focuses on spending a lot of money suddenly, whereas treat yourself can involve time or rest rather than money.
spoil yourself
Similar idea of being kind to yourself, but it is used less often and sounds a little old-fashioned.

Opposites

deny yourselfdeprive yourself

Word family

treat noun
Something special you give yourself or someone else, often food or an outing.
treat verb
To behave toward someone in a particular way, or to give medical care.
treatment noun
Medical care, or the way someone is dealt with.

Commonly confused: treat yourself or treat yourself to?

treat yourself vs treat yourself to

Don't drop 'to': say 'treat yourself to a coffee', not 'treat yourself a coffee'. The verb 'treat' alone can take a direct object in other senses, which causes this mistake.

Practice

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