Word family noun person personality persona personage the personals personification personnel adjective personal ≠ impersonal personalized personable verb personalize personify adverb personally ≠ impersonally
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpersonallyper‧son‧al‧ly /ˈpɜːsənəli $ ˈpɜːr-/ ●●● S2 adverb 1 [sentence adverb] spokenTHINK/HAVE THE OPINION THAT used to emphasize that you are only giving your own opinion about something Personally, I don’t think much of the idea. I personally think it’s too cold to go out.2 PERSONALLY/YOURSELFif you do something personally, you do it yourself rather than getting someone else to do it SYN in person The managing director wrote personally to thank me. All important work is personally approved by him. I’ll see to it personally.3 used to show that one particular person is involved, rather than a group of people I’m holding you personally responsible for this mess! She clearly blamed me personally for the difficulties she’d been having.4 → take something personally5 FRIENDLYas a friend, or as someone you have met I don’t know her personally, but I like her work.6 PERSONALLY/YOURSELFin a way that criticizes someone’s character or appearance Members of the Senate rarely attack each other personally.7 in relation to someone’s private life, rather than to their work, business, or official duties She had a lasting impact on his life both personally and professionally.Examples from the Corpus
personally• Everyone has the right to say no, even your subordinate, so don't take it personally.• I intend to experiment with it personally.• It's best to write about things you have experienced personally.• Why did his cousin sound so personally affronted?• The Commander in Chief visited the island personally, and took steps toward strengthening the defense facilities and fortification.• With Zenlike calm, they absorb the hostility often leveled at them personally, as representatives of the technological elite.• I was personally asked by the governor to run for office.• I don't know him personally, but I've heard a lot about him.• Personally, I don't care how it gets done, as long as it's done quickly.• Personally, I don't care how you do it.• Personally, I think it's a crazy idea.• Please encourage class members to lobby their local councils about cuts in classes, either personally or by petition.• He personally oversaw and, if necessary, modified the agenda for meetings.• Most of our customers like French wine, though I personally prefer Californian.• He had personally recruited the antique dealer.• Personally speaking, I think it's a great name for a cigarette.• The President wrote to us personally to thank us for our hard work.holding ... personally responsible• But Vincent never forgave his father, holding him personally responsible for this betrayal.know ... personally• But she knows the territory personally.• The man or woman in the street can not know their leaders personally.• These models need not be people we know personally.• During the planting years, I have known personally most of the tree-farmers involved.• Since his installation as bishop, he was known to personally pen all the letters of real importance to his diocese.• Hayman would be unlikely to choose anyone known personally to his prey.• I did not know you personally, Tom, but I too love you very much. 