Talking about yourself in English: 45 essential adjectives (with examples and phonetics)

Can you use English adjectives to describe your personality? And what about the personalities of the people around you?

Often, when we describe someone, we talk about his or her qualities or faults - in other words, his or her "personality". personality. However, many people limit their vocabulary to "nice", "kind" or "shy". That's why, in this article, you'll discover 45 personality adjectives in English with phonetics, concrete definitions and examples in context. You'll be able to speak more naturally and accurately.

Positive adjectives

Proactive /prəʊˈæktɪv/ She's proactive at work, always solving problems before they arise. ➡ She's proactive at work, always solving problems before they arise.

Quick-witted /ˌkwɪkˈwɪtɪd/ Quick-witted: means the person understands quickly and responds quickly, often with intelligence or humor. ➡ He's so quick-witted, he always has the perfect comeback.

Resourceful /rɪˈzɔːsfl/ A person who can quickly find practical solutions to complicated situations. ➡ Our boss is resourceful; he always finds a way to make things work.

Resentful /rɪˈzentfl/ He still feels resentful about being passed over for that promotion. ➡ He still feels resentful about being passed over for that promotion.

Self-centered /ˌselfˈsentəd/ She's too self-centered to notice how her words affect others. ➡ She's too self-centered to notice how her words affect others.

Stingy /ˈstɪndʒi/ someone who doesn't like to spend his money, even when it would be useful or generous. ➡ My uncle is so stingy; he never gives anything to charity.

Pioneering /ˈpaɪəˌnɪərɪŋ/ : used for someone who likes to innovate, try new things and pave the way for others. ➡ She played a pioneering role in digital education.

Placid /ˈplæsɪd/ He's a placid man who never raises his voice. ➡ He's a placid man who never raises his voice.

Easy-going /ˌiːziˈɡəʊɪŋ/ / Laidback /ˈleɪdˌbæk/ She's so easy-going, nothing ever seems to upset her. ➡ She's so easy-going, nothing ever seems to upset her.

Exuberant /ˌɛɡzjuˈbɛrənt/ He's an exuberant child who lights up every room. ➡ He's an exuberant child who lights up every room.

Courteous /ˈkɜːtiəs/ A person who is polite, respectful and kind to others. ➡ The staff were very courteous and helpful.

Convivial /kənˈvɪviəl/ She's such a friendly host, you feel at home immediately. ➡ She's such a convivial host, you feel at home immediately.

Diplomatic /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/ A person who knows how to handle conflict without hurting or offending others. ➡ He was diplomatic enough to avoid further tensions.

Frank /enæŋk/ : an honest person who says what she thinks straightforwardly, but not necessarily rudely. ➡ I like her because she's always frank about her opinion.

Intuitive /ɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv/ : someone who trusts her instincts to make decisions, even without apparent logic. ➡ She's intuitive, she always senses when something's wrong.

Gregarious /ˈɡreɡəriəs/ / Sociable /ˈsəʊʃəbl/ He's gregarious and always makes new friends quickly. ➡ He's gregarious and always makes new friends quickly.

Bright /braɪt/ : means intelligent and quick-witted. ➡ She's a bright student who always gets top marks.

Broad-minded /ˌbrɔːdˈmaɪndɪd/ He's broad-minded about different cultures and religions. ➡ He's broad-minded about different cultures and religions.

Affable /ˈæfəbl/ A pleasant, approachable person who's easy to talk to. ➡ Everyone loves working with him because he's affable.

Amicable /ˈæmɪkəbl/ used to describe a peaceful, friendly person or relationship. ➡ Despite the divorce, they remained amicable towards each other.

Neutral or negative adjectives

Sensitive /ˈsensətɪv/ A person who is easily affected by what is said or what happens. ➡ She's very sensitive to criticism.

Touchy /ˈtʌtʃi/ A person who reacts very quickly to even mild remarks. ➡ He's touchy about his weight - don't bring it up.

Vain /veɪn/ A person who is very concerned about their appearance or what others think of them. ➡ She's so vain, she spends hours getting ready.

Cynical /ˈsɪnɪkəl/ a person who doubts the intentions of others, who thinks everything is motivated by self-interest. ➡ He's too cynical to believe in love anymore.

Fussy /ˈfʌsi/ He's hard to please, often picky about the smallest details. ➡ She's so fussy, he sent the food back three times.

Dogmatic /dɒɡˈmætɪk/ A person who is rigid in his opinions, who believes that only his way of seeing is the right way. ➡ He's dogmatic and doesn't tolerate other viewpoints.

Tactless /ˈtæktləs/ A person who says or does things without worrying about hurting others. ➡ That was a tactless comment during such a sensitive time.

Narrow-minded /ˌnærəʊˈmaɪndɪd/ A closed-minded person who easily rejects different ideas or ways of life. ➡ His narrow-minded views make conversations difficult.

Big-headed /ˌbɪɡˈhedɪd/ arrogant, who thinks he's better than everyone else. ➡ Since his promotion, he's become really big-headed.

Aloof /əˈluːf/ He's an aloof, unwelcoming person who keeps his emotional distance. ➡ He remained aloof during the entire conversation.

Materialistic /məˌtɪəriəˈlɪstɪk/ She's too materialistic, all she cares about is money. ➡ She's too materialistic, all she cares about is money.

Callous /ˈkæləs/ A callous person who shows no compassion for others. ➡ His callous remarks hurt everyone in the room.

Clingy /ˈklɪŋi/ He's too clingy - he texts me every 5 minutes. ➡ He's too clingy - he texts me every 5 minutes.

Bossy /ˈbɒsi/ : someone who likes to give orders, even if he's not in charge. ➡ She's bossy and always tells everyone what to do.

Patronizing /ˈpætrənaɪzɪŋ/ A condescending person who acts as if she's smarter than everyone else. ➡ His patronizing tone annoyed the entire team.

Obstinate /ˈɒbstɪnət/ / Stubborn /ˈstʌbən/ A stubborn person who refuses to change his mind even with good arguments. ➡ He's too stubborn to admit he was wrong.

Belligerent /bəˈlɪdʒərənt/ An aggressive person, always ready to argue or fight. ➡ The belligerent customer refused to calm down.

Cantankerous /kænˈtæŋkərəs/ He's a cantankerous old man always yelling at the kids. ➡ He's a cantankerous old man always yelling at the kids.

Obnoxious /əbˈnɒkʃəs/ A person with unpleasant behavior, who easily disturbs or irritates others. ➡ His obnoxious behavior got him kicked out of the party.

Why learn these adjectives?

• They expand your vocabulary beyond the classic "nice" and "shy".
• They allow you to better express your ideas and emotions.
• They improve your comprehension in natural English conversations.
• They boost your confidence when speaking.

Tips for remembering these adjectives more easily

You can link them to people you know - this will help you memorize them more effectively.

Start using them today in your personal descriptions, presentations and essays!

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