personally
Americanadverb
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without the help or intervention of others
I'll attend to it personally
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(sentence modifier) in one's own opinion or as regards oneself
personally, I hate onions
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as if referring to oneself
to take the insults personally
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as a person
we like him personally, but professionally he's incompetent
Etymology
Origin of personally
Explanation
When you do something personally, you do it yourself. If you promise you'll personally sell Girl Scout cookies to your neighbors, you can't just put flyers in their mailboxes or make your brother knock on their doors. Doing things personally means doing them in person, often not involving anyone else. If the grand prize of a contest involves your favorite movie star personally driving you around Hollywood in a Rolls Royce, it means she'll be the one behind the wheel. Another way to use this word is to mean "privately," as when someone's work life is great but they're really struggling personally. You can also use personally to refer to yourself: "Personally, I prefer vanilla ice cream."
Vocabulary lists containing personally
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.
The former minister said he'd had no contact with the president for "a couple of weeks", and had no evidence the president was personally corrupt.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
“Most people who know me personally know I’m more to myself. Goofy! But usually chill and to myself.”
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
And it should be understood that if insurers refuse to cover claims, the individual who caused the collision may be personally responsible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
“I’m personally nervous because the market is so concentrated” in tech, Trennert said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
I personally think the paper chain is stupid and most of the people who are losing their minds over it are annoying.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
