individually

American  

[in-duh-vij-oo-uh-lee] / ˌɪn dəˈvɪdʒ u ə li /

adverb

1. one at a time; separately.

   The delegates were introduced individually.

2. personally.

   Each of us is individually responsible.

3. in an individual or personally unique manner.

   Her interpretation was individually conceived.

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Etymology

Origin of individually

First recorded in 1590–1600; individual + -ly

Explanation

Anything done individually happens one at a time, separate from others. In baseball, each player bats individually. An individual is a single person, or you can refer to an individual thing, which is one thing. Likewise, anything described as happening individually happens one by one or separately. An only child is raised individually. Doctors usually see patients individually, not in groups. If you're in a single-file line, you're lined up individually. Think of the number one when you see or hear the word individually.

Example Sentences

I find that sending out invites the old-fashioned way, even reaching out to guests individually via text or email, is hard to keep track of who’s coming and any last-minute cancellations.

From Salon • Jun. 21, 2026

"Yes, he will be training tomorrow individually and then on Monday with the team," Ancelotti said.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026

Researchers also examined 17 of the most commonly consumed preservatives individually.

From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026

In any two-spouse household, the odds that at least one partner will face significant care needs run materially higher than the odds for either spouse individually.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026

People come to the clinic in groups of fifty, and the director wonders whether, instead of testing them individually, he should pool the fifty samples and test them all together.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Related Words

• alone
• independently
• personally