1
: of, relating to, or affecting a particular person : private, individual
personal ambition
personal financial gain
2
a
: 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
5
a
: being rational and self-conscious
personal, responsive government is still possible—
John Fischer
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
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
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
Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2025
The chatbot’s search for Musk’s personal views on the topic likely falls into the same category.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2025
Matias Grez, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
The Celtics took advantage of the Knicks’ on multiple fronts, getting Karl-Anthony Towns into foul trouble with three early personals, then playing the Hack-a-Shaq game with Mitchell Robinson, who shot just 3-of-10 from the foul line to stifle an otherwise dominant defensive performance.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for personal
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
This large travel backpack is ideal for short weekend or overnight trips, or it can be used as a personal item on a flight.
—Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2025
The chatbot’s search for Musk’s personal views on the topic likely falls into the same category.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
Clark’s foul was upgraded from a personal to a flagrant 1, while Reese and Boston each received technical fouls.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
The Celtics took advantage of the Knicks’ on multiple fronts, getting Karl-Anthony Towns into foul trouble with three early personals, then playing the Hack-a-Shaq game with Mitchell Robinson, who shot just 3-of-10 from the foul line to stifle an otherwise dominant defensive performance.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for personal
Cite this Entry
“Personal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personal. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
personal
1 of 2 adjective
per·son·al
ˈpərs-nəl 
-ᵊn-əl
1
: of, relating to, or belonging to a person : private
personal property
2
a
: done in person
b
: proceeding from or directed to a single person
c
: carried on between individuals directly
3
: relating to the person or body
your personal appearance
4
: closely related to an individual : intimate
5
: indicating grammatical person
personal
2 of 2 noun
: a short paragraph or ad in a newspaper relating to personal matters
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