im·per·son·al
(ˌ)im-ˈpər-sə-nəl
-ˈpərs-nəl
1
a
: lacking emotional warmth
a giant impersonal corporation
b(1)
: not relating to or influenced by personal feelings
an impersonal, professional attitude
(2)
: having no personal reference or connection
impersonal criticism
c
: not engaging the human personality or emotions
The machine as compared with the hand tool is an impersonal agency.—John Dewey
d
: not existing as a person : not having human qualities or characteristics
2
a
: denoting the verbal action of an unspecified agent and hence used with no expressed subject (such as methinks) or with a merely formal subject (such as rained in it rained)
b
of a pronoun
: indefinite
1
: the lack or absence of a personal or human character
the impersonality of natural law
2
: the quality or state of not involving personal feelings or the emotions or of being unemotional and disinterested
marveled at the impersonality of the thinking of so passionate a man
the emotional detachment and impersonality required of a good playwright—Leslie Rees
so much impersonality, so much coldness and emphasis on technique—Manny Farber
3
a
: the quality or state of not involving, not being activated by, or not tracing to a personal agent
the impersonality of the popular ballad
the impersonality of the machine
b
: a quality or state marked by an absence or suppression of human expression or a minimizing of the significance of personality
the impersonality of society
the impersonality of the world money market
c
: the quality of not bearing on only a single or a particular person
the impersonality, the universality of his remarks
4
: something impersonal
forced to deal with impersonalities such as the state or the law
Cite this Entry
“Impersonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impersonal. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.
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