Has anyone ever told you to “own it”? The most popular “own it” meaning is that you should take responsibility for your actions or words. Read on to discover the different meanings of the word, its common modern usage, and some of its alternatives.
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What Is the Meaning of Own It?
“Own it” can mean to literally possess something– “I once rented that movie, but now I own it.”
However, the expression itself is an idiom with a non-literal meaning, especially when used by itself. Here, the main own it meaning is to accept responsibility for one’s actions, words, or consequences thereof.
This can be either positive or negative. For example, if you make something good happen, owning it means taking credit for it. On the other hand, if you’re responsible for a bad outcome, someone might tell you to own it.
It can be a motivational phrase to accept something good about one’s appearance or personality. Let’s look at examples of all of these usages.
Examples
- Now that you’re in charge of the project, you’ll own it if things go wrong.
- Your gala idea worked perfectly. Own it!
- I love your purple hair. Own it!
- When you mess up, it’s best to own it rather than try to blame others.
- Don’t run away like last time. Tonight, you should own it.
- You can now drive your own car. Own it!
- It’s the group’s decision to take charge of this project. Own it!
- Own it if you have based the quotation on assumption.
- There should also be a sense of ownership with everything that you do. Own it.
- Don’t be ashamed that you’re driving your grandfather’s red truck. Own it.
- You look like a whole different beast. You should own it.
When and How to Use Own It?
It’s okay to use own it in both spoken and online conversations.
The phrase usually tells someone to accept responsibility for something they’ve done or caused to happen. This action or result can be a good or bad thing.
You’re probably more likely to see or hear it in a negative context—it’s often a way to discourage someone from making excuses or shifting blame for undesirable outcomes.
In positive contexts, it can urge someone to accept credit for a good outcome. It can also tell someone to take a positive attribute they have.
For example, say a person is charismatic. If that person is using that positively, such as providing good leadership, “own it” basically says that you should “Be proud of this ability and how it helps you and others.”
Other Ways to Say Own It
There are other ways to say own it. You might want something less blunt or more precise, or you might just want some variety. Following are a few examples.
- Take responsibility.
- Be accountable.
- Take the blame.
- Take the credit.
- Don’t play the blame game.
How to Respond to Own It?
The best way to respond to being on the receiving end of “own it” is to accept responsibility. Instead of deflecting blame (or credit), acknowledge what you did and what the results were. Saying something like “You’re right,” “I accept the responsibility for that,” or “I take ownership of this” helps.
Final Thoughts
The usual own it meaning is a suggestion or directive to take responsibility for something. Of course, this result has to be the outcome of what you’ve said or done. Depending on the text, it can also be a phrase of encouragement.
