private life

British

noun

the social or family life or personal relationships of an individual, esp of a person in the public eye, such as a politician or celebrity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

And in her private life, the war has complicated her relationship with her father.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Because there’s almost nothing in Doyle’s stories about Holmes’ early or private life, the pastiche-maker has a virtually blank canvas to work upon.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

Two years before Princess Elizabeth became queen, she felt the special sting of having details of her family’s private life splashed out in print for all the world to see.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Prince Harry painted a picture of a private life being surrounded by anxieties about leaks and intrusions, creating distrust and suspicion about those around him.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

Fortunately, we do have evidence of music’s perennial importance to public and private life.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023