in person

Idioms  

1. Also, in the flesh. In one's physical presence, as in He applied for the job in person, or I couldn't believe it, but there she was, in the flesh. The first expression dates from the mid-1500s. The variant, from the 1300s, was long used to allude to the bodily resurrection of Jesus, but later acquired its looser meaning. Charles Dickens has it in Our Mutual Friend (1865): “The minutes passing on, and no Mrs. W. in the flesh appearing.”

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Example Sentences

By email, Chopra wrote that he was glad that philanthropist Barnaby Marsh had introduced them in person.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

During last month's legal proceedings, the court heard that the victim had told police during Malkinson's trial in 2004 that she was not sure if he had been the attacker after seeing him in person.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

So Zion began pursuing a hybrid approach, church leaders said, with small groups meeting in person in multiple locations for services led by pastors on Zoom.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

And I knew that was the dumbest thing I could have ever done, because I’ve never met her in person.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

The most common method is subtle, and works both in person and by post.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• candidly
• honestly
• openly
• personally