What does impersonal mean?
Impersonal describes speech, behavior, institutions, or relationships that are not shaped by personal feelings, preferences, or individual characteristics. In its general adjectival use, the word suggests detachment and impartiality: an impersonal judgment is intended to follow objective principles, while an impersonal tone may be businesslike or emotionally reserved. The term can therefore sound commendably fair and rational, although in criticism it may indicate that a process or environment feels cold or lacking in human warmth. In grammar, impersonal has a more specialized meaning. An impersonal verb has no personal subject, as in the conventional expression “it rains,” where “it” is a placeholder rather than the name of a participant. This grammatical sense also gives rise to the uncommon noun “impersonal” for such a verb. Together, its general and technical senses make impersonal a useful word for describing conduct that either escapes personal bias or reveals how language can represent actions without identifying an actor.
Lacking personal feelings, characteristics, or interests; detached, impartial, or objective.
"The committee tried to reach an impersonal decision based only on the available evidence."
Often formal. It may be approving when describing impartiality, but critical when describing coldness or lack of personal attention.
A grammatical verb without a personal subject, such as the verb in “it rains.”
"“Rains” is an impersonal in the sentence “it rains.”"
Chiefly a technical grammatical term and much less common than the adjective.
Used rarely when referring to multiple verbs classified as impersonal.
"The grammar identifies several common impersonals, including constructions such as “it seems.”"
English often uses an impersonal construction to hide the actor: in “it rains,” the weather—not a person—becomes the grammatical subject.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does impersonal come from?
Impersonal derives from the Latin impersonalis, formed from in-, meaning “not,” and persona, meaning “person” or “character.” The Latin adjective conveyed the sense of being general or universal rather than belonging to a particular person. English borrowed the word during the early modern period, and it later acquired a specialized grammatical use for verbs lacking a personal subject.
Related word forms
How impersonal is actually used
The adjective is common in formal and professional contexts. It can sound neutral and dispassionate, but it may also imply excessive detachment or a lack of warmth. The noun is chiefly used in grammatical analysis and is more technical.
Easily confused with impersonal
Impersonal means detached from individual feelings or characteristics, whereas impersonate means to pretend to be another person or thing.