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

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."

Example Sentences

His impact on me personally is as much on a human level as it is on the artist level.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

Hofmann personally experienced the early modern art movements of Fauvism and Cubism in Paris, which gave his teaching a present-at-the-creation credibility.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

He added that he will personally review applications.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper must act personally and immediately.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

Until now, I had never personally known those who had passed.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• directly
• individually
• privately