alter ego

IPA/ˌɔːltər ˈiːɡəʊ/
IPA/ˌɔːltər ˈiːɡəʊ/

alter ego — noun

1. a separate role or identity that someone takes on, especially in public, creativ

1.名詞C1
釋義

a separate role or identity that someone takes on, especially in public, creative, or online life

例句

By night, Eli performs as an alter ego named Velvet North.

perform as an alter ego

The comic turns Clark Kent into Superman, his famous alter ego.

superhero second identity

同義詞
  • persona

    usually means a public image rather than a separate character

  • avatar

    is mainly a digital version used in games or online spaces

  • alias

    is only another name and does not suggest a second self

  • double

    often stresses physical likeness more than identity

文法句型

someone's alter ego

create an alter ego

perform as an alter ego

用法筆記

Often used with possessives and in contexts such as comics, performance, or online life. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is a role someone uses or is known by, not simply a hidden side that appears under pressure.

常見錯誤

❌Batman is Bruce Wayne's secret name.
✅Batman is Bruce Wayne's alter ego.
💡use 'alter ego' when the other identity feels like a second self, not just another label.

2. a side of someone's character that they usually keep hidden and that can appear

2.名詞C2
釋義

a side of someone's character that they usually keep hidden and that can appear in ways unlike their usual self

例句

After two glasses of wine, Lara's wild alter ego took over the evening.

hidden side takes over

Usually quiet Diya shocked her friends when her angry alter ego appeared online.

同義詞
  • other side

    is broader and less literary

  • shadow self

    is more psychological and often sounds darker

  • inner self

    can be deeper and more reflective, not always contrasting

反義詞
  • public self

    focuses on the face shown openly to other people

文法句型

someone's alter ego

bring out an alter ego

用法筆記

Often follows words such as hidden, angry, wild, or darker. Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on a side already inside the person, not a named role or public character.

常見錯誤

❌Her polite alter ego never changes.
✅Her polite persona never changes.
💡for a steady public image, 'persona' is better; 'alter ego' here suggests a contrasting side.

3. a friend or companion so close to you that the two of you seem almost like the s

3.名詞C2
釋義

a friend or companion so close to you that the two of you seem almost like the same person

例句

Astrid calls her cousin her alter ego because they finish each other's jokes.

my alter ego = close friend

Within a month at college, Salma had become my alter ego in every class.

同義詞
  • kindred spirit

    stresses shared taste or feeling more than daily closeness

  • soulmate

    is often stronger and can suggest romance

  • confidant

    focuses on trust and secrets, not similarity

反義詞
  • stranger

    describes someone with no close bond at all

文法句型

my alter ego

be someone's alter ego

like alter egos

用法筆記

Usually appears in informal or literary comparisons such as 'my alter ego'. It suggests unusual closeness and similarity, not simply friendship.

常見錯誤

❌I met an alter ego at the station yesterday.
✅I met a close friend at the station yesterday.
💡this sense means a person who feels almost like another self, not just any friend.

4. in law, a person or organization treated as legally the same as another, so resp

4.名詞C2
釋義

in law, a person or organization treated as legally the same as another, so responsibility can be shared or passed between them

例句

The judge ruled that the shell company was the owner's alter ego.

legal: company as owner's alter ego

The court heard that the two firms were alter egos with the same bank account.

同義詞
  • instrumentality

    is a more technical legal term for an entity used as a tool

  • front company

    suggests concealment, but not necessarily legal identity

文法句型

be an alter ego of

treat X as Y's alter ego

用法筆記

Mostly found in legal writing about companies, owners, or related entities. It does not mean a creative second identity here; it means the law may ignore the boundary between two parties.