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Adjectives for Describing Character - Intermediate Vocabulary & Grammar

A List of Useful English Words For Describing People's Personality

affectionate - an affectionate person is someone who is very loving.

Example sentence: My boyfriend is very affectionate.

aggressive (a negative adjective) - someone who is physically or verbally threatening towards other people.

Example sentences:I don't like aggressive people. I like people who are relaxed and calm.

ambitious - an adjective used to describe a person who is keen to get on in life.

Example sentences:Tushar is very ambitious. He is hoping to be promoted soon.

anxious - someone who worries a lot.

Example sentences:Trish is a very anxious person. She worries far too much about things.

artistic - someone who is good at creative things, such as painting and drawing.

Example sentences:Jennifer is very artistic. She is really good at drawing.

bad-tempered - somebody who gets angry a lot.

Example sentences:My Uncle is really bad-tempered. He is always shouting at my aunt.

big-headed - someone with a very high opinion of themselves.

Example sentences:Simon is a bit big-headed. He thinks more of himself than others do.

boring - (a negative adjective) used to describe someone who is not very interesting.

Example sentences:Ann is a bit boring. She never has anything interesting to say.

bossy - (mildly negative) used to describe someone who tries to control other people.

Example sentences:My gran is a bit bossy. She's always ordering my poor grandad about.

charismatic - somebody who attracts other people, and who is good at getting people's attention.

Example sentence: Barack Obama is a very charismatic politician.

creative - someone who is an original thinker, or who has artistic skills.

Example sentences:Mona is very creative. She is always coming up with new ideas.

courageous - an adjective used to describe someone who is very brave.

Example sentences:Abdul is a fireman. He is very courageous. He rescues people from fires.

dependable - an adjective used to describe someone who is very reliable.

Example sentences:Ruth is very dependable. She always keeps her promises.

devious - (negative) used to describe someone who cheats other people, to get what they want.

Example sentences:Sam can be bit devious at times. I wouldn't trust him.

dim - (negative insult) used to describe someone who is not very intelligent.

Be careful when using this word!Using neutral adjectives to describe people is much safer.

extroverted - someone who is very outgoing.

Example sentences:Dave is very extroverted. He's always the life and soul of the party!

egotistical - (negative) used for describing someone who acts as if they are more important than others.

Example sentences:Simon is a bit egotistical. He tends to look down on people.

gregarious - very sociable.

Example sentences:Tina is very gregarious. She has lots of friends.

impulsive - an adjective used to describe someone who acts before thinking.

Example sentences:Luca can be a bit impulsive. He doesn't always think before he acts.

intelligent - someone who is very clever.

Example sentence: Steven Hawking is a very intelligent man.

introverted - someone who is quiet and shy. (opposite of extroverted)

Example sentences:Mira is quite introverted. She doesn't really enjoy parties.

industrious - very hard working.

Example sentences:Sergio is very industrious. He works really hard at his job.

joyful - very happy.

Example sentences:I'm in a joyful mood today. Life is good at the moment.

reliable - someone you can depend upon.

Example sentences:Jerry is very reliable. You can always depend on him to keep his promises.

sociable - someone who enjoys mixing with people.

Example sentences:Donata is very sociable. She has a lot of friends.

sympathetic - someone who offers a friendly ear to people with problems.

Example sentences:Will is a very sympathetic person. He's also a really good listener.

talkative - somebody who talks a lot.

Example sentences:Julie is very talkative. She's always on the phone, chatting to friends.

Important note: take care using negative adjectives, as some people may be very offended if you use these words to describe them! In most situations it is much safer to use a neutral adjective if you can't think of anything positive to say about someone!