impersonal
/ɪmˈpɜːsənl/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpɜːrsənl/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)im-ˈpər-sə-nəl -ˈpərs-nəl/ (ame, mw)
impersonal — adjective
- impersonalpositive
- more impersonalcomparative
- most impersonalsuperlative
1. having a cold, distant quality that makes a place, situation, or interaction fee
having a cold, distant quality that makes a place, situation, or interaction feel unwelcoming and lacking in emotional connection
The waiting room felt cold and impersonal, with bright lights and hard chairs.
collocation: cold and impersonal
Bao received an impersonal email from the company with no greeting or signature.
The Grand Horizon chain felt impersonal compared to the small inn run by the Lee family.
Élise found the manager's tone impersonal and distant during the quarterly review meeting.
The online application process felt impersonal, so Yasmin called the office directly.
- cold
more general; can describe temperature or emotion; 'impersonal' is specifically about lack of human connection
- distant
focuses on emotional remoteness in personal interactions
- detached
suggests deliberate separation of feelings, often in professional contexts
- clinical
suggests a cold, efficient, emotionless quality, often in medical or institutional settings
用法筆記
Often applied to places, organizations, or procedures rather than to an individual person's deliberate behaviour. A large hospital can feel impersonal; a rude clerk is unfriendly, not impersonal.
常見錯誤
2. not mentioning or aimed at any specific person by name; treating people as a gro
not mentioning or aimed at any specific person by name; treating people as a group rather than as named individuals
The letter was entirely impersonal — it began with 'Dear Resident' and gave no names.
impersonal letter / impersonal opening
Ishaan received an impersonal rejection notice that did not mention his application details.
The survey used impersonal language, referring to 'respondents' instead of real people.
When the HR director said 'some employees have concerns,' the impersonal statement avoided naming anyone.
The city council kept its flood warning impersonal to avoid singling out any neighbourhood.
- anonymous
stronger — the source or identity is unknown; 'impersonal' suggests the style, not the unknown author
- generic
focuses on lack of specific details; 'impersonal' emphasises the absence of personal reference
- general
broader, less specific in many ways; 'impersonal' is specifically about avoiding personal names
- personal
addressed to or concerning a particular person
- named
mentioning someone by name
- individualised
tailored to a specific person
用法筆記
Common in formal or bureaucratic writing where the writer intentionally avoids naming specific individuals. Contrast with sense 1: a letter can be impersonal (sense 2 — no names) without being cold (sense 1).
常見錯誤
3. describing a verb or sentence whose subject is 'it' or 'there' and carries no re
describing a verb or sentence whose subject is 'it' or 'there' and carries no reference to any actual person, thing, or agent
In grammar, 'It is raining' is an impersonal sentence because 'it' does not refer to anything.
classic example: 'it is raining' with dummy subject
Mrs. Okafor explained that 'there is' and 'there are' begin impersonal constructions in English.
The verb 'to snow' is used impersonally — Aiko wrote 'It snowed all night.'
When Kian wrote 'It seems late,' he used an impersonal verb with 'it' as the subject.
In Japanese and Turkish, weather verbs appear in impersonal forms that lack a real subject.
- personal
in grammar, a personal verb has a real subject referring to a person or thing
用法筆記
A technical grammar term. The most common impersonal subjects in English are 'it' (e.g., 'It is hot') and 'there' (e.g., 'There are three options'). Do not confuse with senses 1 or 2 — this sense refers only to grammatical structure, not to emotional tone or anonymity.
常見錯誤
4. existing or operating in a way that is not connected to any human being; not hav
existing or operating in a way that is not connected to any human being; not having human form, feelings, or characteristics
In the novel 'Frankenstein,' nature acts as an impersonal force without human feelings.
impersonal force: nature as an agent without human traits
The 2017 WannaCry virus spread as an impersonal agent, hitting hospitals and offices.
Ancient people believed the stars had souls, but modern science sees them as impersonal objects.
In Carl Sagan's view, the universe is vast and impersonal, caring nothing for human life.
Deism sees God as an impersonal creator who does not answer prayers or intervene.
- human
having human qualities or form
- personal
relating to or connected with a person
- anthropomorphic
having human characteristics attributed to non-human things
用法筆記
Often used in philosophy, religion, or science to describe forces, powers, or entities that do not have human emotions, intentions, or physical form. Distinguish from sense 1: a force of nature is impersonal (sense 4 — not human); a bureaucratic system is impersonal (sense 1 — lacking warmth).