What Does “Rid yourself of sth” Mean?
“Rid yourself of sth” means to get free or remove something unwanted from yourself or your life.
Introduction
The phrase “Rid yourself of sth” is a common phrasal verb in English. It is used when someone wants to remove or get rid of something that bothers them or is no longer needed. This could be anything from bad habits, clutter, worries, or even physical objects. Understanding the Rid yourself of sth meaning helps learners use it correctly in various situations. It expresses an action of freeing oneself from something negative or unnecessary. This phrasal verb is useful in everyday conversations, writing, and formal speech.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Rid yourself of something
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2
- Meaning: To remove or free yourself from something unwanted
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Rid yourself of sth” is a fixed phrase and is inseparable. You cannot place the object between “rid” and “yourself.” The structure is always:
- Rid + yourself + of + something
- Example: She rid herself of bad habits.
Note: The pronoun “yourself” changes depending on the subject:
- I rid myself of…
- You rid yourself of…
- He/she/they rid themselves of…
How to Use Rid yourself of sth?
Use “Rid yourself of sth” when talking about removing unwanted things, feelings, or habits. It often implies effort or intention. For example, you can rid yourself of stress by relaxing, or rid yourself of old clothes by donating them. This phrase is formal and polite, often used in advice or self-improvement contexts.
Examples
Here are some examples to show how to use Rid yourself of sth in a sentence:
- It’s important to rid yourself of negative thoughts to feel happier.
- He rid himself of all the junk in his garage last weekend.
- She finally rid herself of the bad habit of smoking.
- To succeed, you need to rid yourself of doubts and fears.
- They rid themselves of outdated software to improve performance.
Common Mistakes
People often confuse the structure or misuse the phrase. Here are some incorrect and correct examples:
- Incorrect: I rid the bad habit of smoking. Correct: I rid myself of the bad habit of smoking.
- Incorrect: She rid of her worries yesterday. Correct: She rid herself of her worries yesterday.
Remember, “yourself” (or another reflexive pronoun) is necessary, and “of” must follow it.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include “get rid of” and “throw away.” “Get rid of” is more informal and widely used. “Rid yourself of” is more formal and personal, focusing on the subject’s action.
- Get rid of: Remove something, general use. Example: I want to get rid of old clothes.
- Throw away: Physically discard something. Example: She threw away the broken toys.
- Rid yourself of: Emphasizes removing something from yourself or your life, often abstract. Example: He rid himself of bad habits.
Common Collocations
We often use “Rid yourself of” with nouns related to habits, feelings, objects, or problems. Here are some common collocations:
- Bad habits: Smoking, procrastination, etc.
- Stress or worries: Negative emotions or thoughts
- Unnecessary items: Junk, clutter, old clothes
- Problems: Doubts, fears, obstacles
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of rid yourself of sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “Rid yourself of sth”:
Anna: I feel so stressed with all this work. How can I relax?
Ben: Maybe you should try to rid yourself of unnecessary tasks first.
Anna: That sounds like a good idea. I’ll make a list and remove what’s not important.
Practice
Try to complete the sentence with the correct form of the phrasal verb:
She decided to _________ of her old books to make space.
- a) rid herself
- b) get herself
- c) throw herself
Answer: a) rid herself
FAQ
- What does “rid yourself of sth” mean? It means to remove or free yourself from something unwanted.
- Is “rid yourself of” formal or informal? It is more formal and polite than “get rid of.”
- Can I say “rid of something” without “yourself”? No, “yourself” (or another reflexive pronoun) is necessary in this phrase.
- What kind of things can I rid myself of? You can rid yourself of bad habits, worries, clutter, or anything unwanted.
- Is “rid yourself of” separable? No, it is inseparable; the object always comes after “of.”
