personal

adjective

per·son·al | \ ˈpərs-nəl

, ˈpər-sə-nəl\

Definition of personal

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or affecting a particular person : private, individual personal ambition personal financial gain

2a : done in person without the intervention of another also : proceeding from a single person

b : carried on between individuals directly a personal interview

3 : relating to the person or body

4 : relating to an individual or an individual's character, conduct, motives, or private affairs often in an offensive manner a personal insult

5a : being rational and self-conscious personal, responsive government is still possible— John Fischer

b : having the qualities of a person rather than a thing or abstraction a personal devil

6 : of, relating to, or constituting personal property a personal estate

7 : denoting grammatical person

8 : intended for private use or use by one person a personal stereo

personal

noun

Definition of personal (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a short newspaper paragraph relating to the activities of a person or a group or to personal matters

2 : a short personal communication in a special column of the classified ads section of a newspaper or periodical

3 : personal foul

Other Words from personal Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about personal

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Examples of personal in a Sentence

Adjective

This is just my personal opinion. I can only tell you what I know from personal experience. He added his own personal touches to the recipe. We don't accept personal checks. He is a personal friend of mine. She is always concerned about her personal appearance. We provide each of our customers with personal service. Golf is a personal interest of mine. May I ask you a personal question? That information is very personal, and you have no business asking about it.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Now, companies like Microsoft see a multibillion-dollar opportunity to get more personal technology, including the HoloLens, in the hands of workers who don’t sit behind a desk. — Karen Weise, New York Times, "You’re Hired. Now Wear This Headset to Learn the Job.," 10 July 2019 The East Bay city is the worst in the nation for first-time homebuyers, according to an analysis by personal finance website WalletHub of affordability, the state of the real estate market and quality of life done. — Leonardo Castañeda, The Mercury News, "Why this East Bay city has the nation’s worst housing market for first-time buyers," 10 July 2019 Now, Grofers is looking to expand its brand portfolio with launches in snacks and personal hygiene category over the next few months. — Sangeeta Tanwar, Quartz India, "Grofers hopes to win India’s online grocery war with its low-priced, in-house brands," 10 July 2019 One of the greatest midfielders in the modern era, Andrea Pirlo was renowned for his sharp and crisp personal appearance. — SI.com, "50 Most Unforgettable Haircuts in World Football," 10 July 2019 Kareem Hunt will miss half the season for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy, but the newcomer’s receiving ability is unquestioned. — Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, "AFC North position rankings: Browns offense brimming with talent, but Ravens have made gains," 10 July 2019 That’s nearly 11 percent of all outstanding household debt, and second only to mortgages ($9 trillion) as a form of personal indebtedness. — The Economist, "Smashed like avocados: how young people are treated by their elders," 10 July 2019 Twister’s subversion of taboos around personal space, no longer fatal baggage, quickly became one of its biggest assets. — Michael Waters, Smithsonian, "When Twister Was Too Risqué For America," 10 July 2019 Epstein listed 14 phone numbers for Trump; his wife, Melania; his longtime personal assistant, Norma Foerderer; his houseman; and his security officer. — Marc Fisher, Anchorage Daily News, "Epstein built a network of powerful defenders," 10 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Be aware of how idealism can cause financial missteps on or near Wednesday, June 23, as your planetary ruler, Venus, faces off with optimistic Jupiter across your axis of personal and shared wealth. — Randon Rosenbohm, Allure, "What June's Taurus Horoscope Predictions Mean for You," 29 May 2019 That goes for personal and professional opportunities. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "Forget Romance, Is Playing Hard to Get the Key to Professional Success?," 4 June 2019 Emma Llansó of the Center for Democracy & Technology said Craigslist has already shut down its personals, missed connections and dating sections, many of which have long had innocent intents. — Tom Jackman, Washington Post, "Trump signs ‘FOSTA’ bill targeting online sex trafficking, enables states and victims to pursue websites," 11 Apr. 2018 Silbert told The Sacramento Bee in an interview that Newsom attended Delancey Street Foundation roughly once a week for three years for personal and group therapy. — Angela Hart, sacbee, "Gavin Newsom didn't really go to rehab | The Sacramento Bee," 23 Apr. 2018 Some dating sites and Craigslist’s personals page have already fallen victim to the new laws. — Susan Elizabeth Shepard, Vox, "It’s International Whores’ Day. Let’s talk about why strippers need better labor laws.," 1 June 2018 Police found that the boy had posted an ad on Craigslist.org under Hartford/personals/casual encounters. — Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, "Manchester Man Faces Federal Child Porn Charges," 26 Apr. 2018 The online site, which features free classified ads for everything from jobs to housing to dump trucks, shut down its personals sections Friday for U.S. sites. — Don Sweeney, sacbee, "Craigslist ditches personals ads following passage of sex-trafficking law | The Sacramento Bee," 25 Mar. 2018 On the 40-yard dash, try for personal bests in both attempts because the times are averaged, but decelerate gradually to avoid pulling a muscle. — Liz Clarke, chicagotribune.com, "'Super agents' rep 75 percent of NFL players. It's a competitive fight to sign the rest.," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'personal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for personal

personal

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of personal

: belonging or relating to a particular person

: made or designed to be used by one person

—used to describe someone whose job involves working for or helping a particular person

See the full definition for personal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

personal

adjective

per·son·al | \ ˈpər-sə-nəl

Kids Definition of personal

1 : of, relating to, or belonging to an individual human being : not public : not general personal property

2 : made or done by a particular individual and not by someone acting for him or her The mayor made a personal appearance.

3 : of the body Take precautions for personal safety.

4 : relating to someone's private matters May I ask you a personal question?

5 : intended for or given to one particular individual I received personal service.

6 : relating to a particular individual or his or her qualities often in a way that is hurtful I took the remark as a personal insult.

personal

adjective

per·son·al

Legal Definition of personal

1 : of, relating to, or affecting a person: as

a : of, relating to, or based on the existence or presence of a person — see also personal injury, personal jurisdiction at jurisdiction

b : of, relating to, or restricted to a natural person and his or her rights, obligations, affairs, assets, or lifetime refused to disclose personal information released on personal recognizance