personally

adverb

per·​son·​al·​ly ˈpərs-nə-lē How to pronounce personally (audio)
ˈpər-sə-nə-
Synonyms of personallynext
1
: in person
attend to the matter personally
2
: as a person : in personality
personally attractive but not very trustworthy
3
: for oneself : as far as oneself is concerned
personally, I don't want to go
4
: in a personal manner
don't take this personally
5
: in a way that involves someone's personal life
I don't know her personally. [=I have never met her]
often, specifically : in a way that involves someone's personal life as opposed to someone's work or job
I know her both personally and professionally.

Examples of personally in a Sentence

You will be held personally responsible for any losses or damages. The player was personally criticized by his coach. He blamed me personally for causing the problem. I was personally offended by the article.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Fan Favorite is awarded $100,000 by Sia, who has previously personally awarded the players she's loved the most. Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026 The movement personally impacted me. Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 14 May 2026 Trump has praised her work, and his administration has lifted economic sanctions against her personally and eased sanctions against the country, though some still remain in place. ABC News, 14 May 2026 The Kremlin also released footage Monday of Putin driving to personally pick up one of his old schoolteachers, Vera Gurevich, from a hotel lobby with a bouquet of flowers and an enthusiastic embrace before taking her for dinner at the Kremlin. Zahra Ullah, CNN Money, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for personally

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of personally was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Personally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personally. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

personally

adverb
per·​son·​al·​ly ˈpərs-nə-lē How to pronounce personally (audio)
-ᵊn-ə-
1
: in person
attend to the matter personally
2
: as a person : in personality
personally attractive
3
: for oneself : as far as oneself is concerned
personally, I am against it

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