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Glite Dictionary
in person

in person

373 1.6
To be present at a place rather than by phone or online
  • idiom
  • /ɪn ˈpɜrsən/
: en persona
  • The conference is much better when you can participate in person instead of online.
  • meet in person
  • attend in person
  • interview in person

And then I didn't meet him in person until a year later.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Good to meet you in person.

    Now Is Good (2012)

  • I thought it would be better to tell her in person than over the phone.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Then he went there in person and he got in.

  • And if you can see these in person, I wish you could.

  • Of course, people can stay longer and talk in person, but this was wonderful.

  • Like I saw actual people in person the other week, like friends.

  • I went to the market in person.

    Anna Karenina (2012)

  • So I'll be there in person and we want you there in person.

  • Make every attempt to tell patients in person except in exceptional circumstances.

    Academic text (1998)

  • We've all lacked in person contact with friends and with peers.

Synonyms

personally
vsin person
690 2.8

Someone does it themselves rather than using others

focuses on physical presence in a location rather than manner of involvement
face to face
vsin person
193 2.3

In the same place as someone and looking at them directly

refers to being physically present in a place without needing eye contact
face-to-face
vsin person
157 2.8

Happens when people sit or stand opposite each other in the same place

is about general physical presence rather than requiring mutual facing
in the flesh
vsin person
45 4.2

Seeing someone face to face rather than in a photo or on TV

means being physically present in a place, not only meeting or seeing someone
person-to-person
vsin person
25 3.9

Two people meet and talk directly, without other people or devices

applies to physical presence in a place, not specifically one-to-one exchange
in-person
vsin person
19 2.7

People are in the same place instead of online

covers physical presence in a place more broadly than event contexts

Antonyms

virtually
  • Texting
20 3.5

Online using a computer or video, not in person

How Present

in person
373 1.6
online
  • Texting
806 1.0
on the phone
∞ 1.0
nonpresence
1 8.9

Surface Forms

in person positive

Morphology

in + person

The meaning 'physically present' is directly and transparently built from 'in' (indicating location) + 'person' (a human), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer being located with the person rather than remotely. This locative composition is a common, cross-linguistic pattern and follows standard English usage, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

In person comes from the simple image of a real person being in the same place as you, not on the phone or online. That's why In person means 'physically present'.