impersonal

adjective

im·​per·​son·​al (ˌ)im-ˈpər-sə-nəl 

-ˈpərs-nəl

1

a

: having no personal reference or connection

impersonal criticism

b

: not engaging the human personality or emotions

the machine as compared with the hand tool is an impersonal agency

—John Dewey

c

: 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

impersonality

(ˌ)im-ˌpər-sə-ˈna-lə-tē 

noun

impersonally

(ˌ)im-ˈpər-sə-nə-lē 

-ˈpərs-nə-lē

adverb

Examples of impersonal in a Sentence

We discussed the weather and other impersonal topics.

He maintained an impersonal, professional attitude.

“Rained” in “it rained” is an impersonal verb.

Recent Examples on the Web

Traditional holiday trees, like the Rockefeller Center giant, are breathtaking but can feel impersonal. —Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024

Power said fraud is proliferating in an era of peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps and increasingly impersonal transactions. —Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 19 Nov. 2024

Smaller classes provide more interaction with professors and other students, while larger lectures, though more impersonal, often break into smaller discussion sections of 10 to 15 students. —Gerald Bradshaw, Chicago Tribune, 14 Nov. 2024

Digital interactions can often feel impersonal, but online poker can be an exception. —Ascend Agency, Sun Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin impersonalis, from Latin in- + Late Latin personalis personal

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Kids Definition

impersonal

adjective

im·​per·​son·​al (ˈ)im-ˈpərs-nəl 

-ᵊn-əl

1

: having no expressed subject or no subject other than "it"

"rained" in "it rained" is an impersonal verb

2

: not personal:

a

: not showing or involving personal feelings : detached

an impersonal professional attitude

b

: not caring about individual persons or their feelings

cold impersonal cities

a giant impersonal corporation

impersonality

(ˌ)im-ˌpərs-ᵊn-ˈal-ət-ē 

noun

impersonally

(ˈ)im-ˈpərs-nə-lē 

-ᵊn-ə-lē

adverb