in person

Idioms  

1. Also, in the flesh. In one's physical presence, as in He applied for the job in person, or I couldn't believe it, but there she was, in the flesh. The first expression dates from the mid-1500s. The variant, from the 1300s, was long used to allude to the bodily resurrection of Jesus, but later acquired its looser meaning. Charles Dickens has it in Our Mutual Friend (1865): “The minutes passing on, and no Mrs. W. in the flesh appearing.”

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Example Sentences

“They’re anxious to see what it looks like in person, and more interested to see how it drives,” Meek said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

And it can be exercised only by the president in person.

From Slate • May 26, 2026

"I tell my members to meet in person as soon as possible, go for a coffee in the park, or on the High Street, to find out if the other person is legitimate."

From BBC • May 21, 2026

On April 1, Trump added to his pressure on the court by attending a hearing on the birthright case in person -- the first sitting president to join the audience in history.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Sometimes he likes to get dramatic and tell it all in person, but the least he could do is text back.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• candidly
• honestly
• openly
• personally