individually

individually — adverb

1. done one at a time, with each person or thing handled on its own rather than tog

1.adverbB1
Definition

done one at a time, with each person or thing handled on its own rather than together with others

Example

Inês wrapped each present individually and wrote a different name on every tag.

adverb after direct object: wrapped presents individually

Charlotte met with each team member individually to hear their thoughts on the project.

collocation: meet with + individually

Common collocations
  • wrapped individually
  • sold individually
  • packaged individually
  • check individually
  • meet with individually
Synonyms
  • separately

    broader term; can refer to physical distance or distinct treatment

  • singly

    more technical or formal; less common in everyday speech

  • one by one

    more concrete and informal; pictures a sequence

Antonyms

Usage Note

This sense focuses on the method or manner of an action — doing things one by one. The adverb typically appears after the direct object or at the end of the clause. It is the most frequent use of 'individually'.

Common Mistakes

The teacher helped individually each student.
The teacher helped each student individually.
In this sense, 'individually' usually follows the object, not the verb.
The gifts were wrapped individual.
The gifts were wrapped individually.
Use the adverb form, not the adjective 'individual', when modifying a verb.

2. in a way that reflects a person's own unique style or ideas, often in a creative

2.adverbB2
Definition

in a way that reflects a person's own unique style or ideas, often in a creative or imaginative manner, rather than following a standard pattern

Example

Joon designs his furniture individually, mixing Asian and Scandinavian styles in unexpected ways.

adverb describing a creative method

When Dewi performs, she interprets each role individually rather than following the usual acting style.

contrast structure: rather than + gerund

Common collocations
  • dress individually
  • design individually
  • interpret individually
  • style individually
Synonyms
  • uniquely

    more direct; emphasises one-of-a-kind quality

  • distinctively

    emphasises being noticeably different from others

  • originally

    emphasises inventiveness and independent thinking

Antonyms

Usage Note

This sense is used mostly in discussions of creative work, personal style, or artistic expression. It is not interchangeable with sense 1 ('one at a time') — saying 'the gifts were wrapped individually' cannot mean 'wrapped in a unique style'.

Common Mistakes

She dresses very individually to stand out.
She has a very individual way of dressing.
The adverb 'individually' can sound awkward with some verbs of personal style; 'individual' + noun is often more natural.
He wrapped the presents individually (meaning in a creative way).
Use sense 1 for 'one at a time' and this sense for 'in a unique style'. The sentence 'He wrapped the presents in an individual style' removes the ambiguity.

3. treating or considering each person or thing as a separate unit with their own p

3.adverbB1
Definition

treating or considering each person or thing as a separate unit with their own particular needs or qualities, rather than as part of a larger group

Example

Hari believes that patients should be treated individually rather than as a set of symptoms.

contrast: individually rather than [collective]

Eshe addressed each student individually, using their name and asking about their specific progress.

Common collocations
  • treat individually
  • address individually
  • assess individually
  • consider individually
  • judge individually
Synonyms
  • personally

    stronger focus on personal attention and care

  • respectively

    pairs items in order; more formal and technical

  • each in turn

    more descriptive phrase; emphasises sequential attention

Antonyms
  • collectively

    as a group, not as separate individuals

  • as a whole

    considering the entire group rather than its members

  • en masse

    formal; all together as one body

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 ('separately'): sense 1 describes the manner of an action (doing things one by one), while sense 3 describes the perspective (viewing or treating each as a distinct individual with unique needs). Common in discussions of education, healthcare, customer service, and human resources.

Common Mistakes

The company treats customers individually and as a group.
The company treats each customer individually rather than as a group.
Using 'and' instead of 'rather than' blurs the contrast this sense requires.
I ate the cookies individually.
I ate the cookies one by one (sense 1).
This sense ('as individuals') applies to people or living things, not to objects like cookies.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four describe things not being done together, but they differ in emphasis. 'Separately' is the broadest term — it can refer to physical distance (keep the chemicals separate), distinct treatment (deal with the issues separately), or unrelatedness. 'Individually' narrows the focus to unit-by-unit handling: each person or item is treated as a distinct case. 'Singly' is more technical and less common in everyday speech, appearing in contexts like computing (singly linked list) or formal instructions (take the pills singly). 'One by one' is the most concrete and informal — it pictures a visible sequence in time. For example: 'The doctor saw each patient individually' (emphasising individual attention) vs. 'The doctor saw each patient separately' (emphasising they were not seen together) vs. 'The doctor called patients in one by one' (emphasising the waiting-room sequence).

individually ↗separately ↗singly ↗one by one

Common collocations

Phrases

  • deal with individually
  • treat individually
  • consider individually
  • sold individually
  • assess individually

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From the Latin adjective 'individuus', meaning 'not divisible' — built from 'in-' (not) and 'dividuus' (divisible, from 'dividere' = to divide). The English adjective 'individual' entered the language in the 1400s from Medieval Latin 'individualis'. The adverb 'individually' was formed by adding '-ly' around the 1500s. Its earliest use meant 'in an indivisible manner', but by the 1600s it had developed the modern senses: first 'one at a time', then 'as a separate person', and by the 1800s 'in a unique or original way'.