Meaning & use
personal belonging
Last updated
Meaning
phraseusually plural
A thing that someone owns and carries with them, such as a bag, phone, or wallet.
Grammar: Almost always used in the plural 'personal belongings'.
Patterns
- personal belongings
- keep your personal belongings safe
- check your personal belongings
Please keep your personal belongings with you at all times.
She packed her personal belongings into a small suitcase.
The airline is not responsible for lost personal belongings.
Word forms
| plural | personal belongings |
|---|
Common combinations
- personal belongings
- Do not leave personal belongings unattended.
- gather personal belongings
- After the fire, they gathered their personal belongings.
- search personal belongings
- Security staff may search your personal belongings.
Synonyms and how they differ
- possessions
- Broader; can include property and things not carried with you.
- belongings
- Same meaning; 'personal' is often added for emphasis.
Commonly confused: personal belonging or personal belief?
personal belonging vs personal belief
'Personal belonging' is about things you own; 'personal belief' is about what you think.
Practice
Complete the sentence: Please take all your ______ with you when you leave the train.
Choose one answer.
'Personal belongings' is the standard plural form. The singular 'personal belonging' is rarely used and would sound odd here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “personal belonging”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.