personally

American  

[pur-suh-nl-ee] / ˈpɜr sə nl i /

adverb

1. through direct contact; in person; directly.

   I will thank him personally.

2. as if intended for or directed at one's own person.

   to take someone's comments personally.

3. as regards oneself.

   Personally, I don't care to go.

4. as an individual.

   to like someone personally, but not as an employer.

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personally British  

/ ˈpɜːsənəlɪ /

adverb

1. without the help or intervention of others

   I'll attend to it personally

2. (sentence modifier) in one's own opinion or as regards oneself

   personally, I hate onions

3. as if referring to oneself

   to take the insults personally

4. as a person

   we like him personally, but professionally he's incompetent

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Etymology

Origin of personally

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; personal + -ly

Example Sentences

“I’ve personally found the most effective approach has been to consistently talk about, and ask about, the decisions they are making,” Zasada said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

You may personally find some of them terrible, but most are bearable and all are virtually inevitable.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Ms. Ballard told a Journal reporter that she “did not personally use AI” while writing “Shy Girl,” but an acquaintance she hired to edit the original, self-published edition did.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

One thing aging and fascism have in common is that it’s hard to conceive of them until you’re personally affected.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Two epic defeats in less than a week, and John Kennedy took it very personally.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• directly
• individually
• privately