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.

---

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

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

Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.''

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

“He was absolutely and individually defiant about global warming,” Coll said in a 2019 interview about Raymond.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Collectively they had more power than anyone in the bond markets, but individually they were nobodies.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• alone
• independently
• personally