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

“You’re not building the skills that you would have in person, and that kind of slow burn can make people less productive in the long run,” said Harrington.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

"Those years when you're sort of experimenting with how you show up in person with another person, how you flirt, how you think about intimacy, that was interrupted for many people," she says.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

As a longtime fan of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” I had finally seen one of the stars in person.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026

The key element is making sure that a physician supervises your visits and is available in person when needed by you or the associate.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

The picture on the box makes it look like he’s got a full head of hair, but in person he’s almost bald.

From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman

Related Words

• candidly
• honestly
• openly
• personally