took it personal

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "took it personal" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is usually used to describe when someone takes something that someone else said or did as a personal attack or offense. For example, "John felt angry when Mary criticized his painting and he took it personal."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

"So we took it personal".

The New York Times - Sports

I never took it personal.

The Guardian - Sport

"Today, I think he took it personal".

The New York Times - Sports

"He took it personal," Santiago said.

The New York Times - Sports

"So much talk has been about Charlie Ward about how he had been dominating our point guards, they took it personal and wanted to do something about it," said Miller, who had 16 points last night.

The New York Times - Sports

"I took it personal".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

'Take it personal!' offers adolescents competences to deal with their personality traits and associated motives for excessive substance use.

BMC Psychiatry

I don't take it personal.

The New York Times - Sports

They drive us all crazy, but I take it personal.

The New York Times

Whatever happens, one advises, "don't take it personal".

The New York Times

I try hard not to take it personal.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "took it personal" when you want to convey that someone felt directly and negatively impacted by an action or statement, often leading to an emotional response.

Common error

Avoid using "took it personal" when the situation is purely objective or transactional. This phrase implies an emotional reaction, so it's inappropriate when describing non-emotional, factual disagreements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "took it personal" functions as an idiomatic expression to describe a situation where an individual interprets an action or statement as a direct, personal affront. Ludwig examples show its usage in expressing feelings of offense and negative impact.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

77%

Science

14%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "took it personal" is a common idiomatic expression used to describe the feeling of being directly and negatively affected by someone's actions or words. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and prevalence in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, it's important to consider the emotional implications, as it suggests a subjective and potentially negative reaction. While generally acceptable, formal settings may benefit from alternatives like "felt personally attacked" or "took offense". Remember to use it when conveying a sense of emotional impact, avoiding purely objective or transactional situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

felt personally attacked

Focuses on the feeling of being directly targeted by an action or statement.

felt insulted

Highlights the emotional response of feeling offended or disrespected.

perceived it as a slight

Emphasizes the interpretation of an action as a minor offense or insult.

felt slighted

Expresses a feeling of being treated without due respect or consideration.

took offense

A more formal way of saying someone was offended by something.

felt aggrieved

Indicates a feeling of resentment caused by unfair treatment.

felt targeted

Focuses on the feeling of being specifically chosen for negative attention.

felt undermined

Highlights the feeling of having one's authority or effectiveness diminished.

felt affronted

A more formal term for feeling offended or insulted.

viewed it as a personal affront

Emphasizes the personal nature of the perceived offense.

FAQs

What does "took it personal" mean?

It means that someone felt offended or negatively affected by something that was said or done, perceiving it as a personal attack or insult.

How can I use "took it personal" in a sentence?

Example: "After the criticism, he really "took it personal" and became withdrawn."

What's a less informal alternative to "took it personal"?

Consider using phrases like "felt personally attacked" or "took offense" in more formal contexts.

Is it always negative to "take something personal"?

Yes, "took it personal" generally implies a negative emotional reaction. It suggests feeling hurt, offended, or slighted by something.