individually
Americanadverb
-
one at a time; separately.
The delegates were introduced individually.
-
personally.
Each of us is individually responsible.
-
in an individual or personally unique manner.
Her interpretation was individually conceived.
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
FRIB's specialized instruments and capabilities allowed the team to separate two distinct decay states and examine them individually.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Spending four formative years in a community where hundreds of services are collectively financed and individually consumed can shape assumptions about how institutions function and how resources should be allocated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Both the Los Angeles County Development Authority and the City of Los Angeles have notified the court of their ability to take on those functions, either individually or jointly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Aged 39, Messi's World Cup may have ended in disappointment - as Argentina lost to Spain in the final - but individually it was another month on football's biggest stage few will forget.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Whatever we knew, whatever we learned, we shared, and by sharing we multiplied whatever courage we had individually.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
