150+ Personality Traits List | Examples of Negative & Positive Personality Traits

Let’s dive into personality traits! When discussing ourselves or others in English, it’s common to describe someone’s personality traits. To effectively do so, we need to expand our vocabulary with these words. This article will explore various words used to describe a person’s personality, accompanied by examples to illustrate their usage.

What Is A Personality Trait?

A personality trait refers to a specific aspect of someone’s character, often expressed through adjectives. It’s important to pair these words with the verb ‘to be,’ such as “I am brave” or “she is friendly.”

Notably, our personality traits help define our personality type. The Myers-Briggs personality type test is one way to determine these traits.

There’s a vast array of words to describe personality, encompassing both positive and negative aspects. Let’s delve into each category for a closer examination.

Positive & Negative Aspects of Personality Traits

Positive Personality Traits

Positive personality traits describe admirable qualities in a person. Here are examples of such words:

• Adventurous: Outgoing, unafraid to try new things.
• Adorable: Sweet and endearing.
• Friendly: Easy to get along with and pleasant.
• Helpful: Eager to assist others.
• Humble: Without a big ego.
• Honest: Truthful and sincere.
• Charming: Pleasant and draws positive attention.
• Capable: Able to achieve things.
• Clever: Smart and quick-witted.
• Imaginative: Creative with a good imagination.
• Confident: Self-assured.
• Independent: Able to manage well alone.
• Cultured: Rich in cultural experiences.
• Keen: Eager and enthusiastic.
• Meticulous: Pays attention to detail.
• Dependable: Reliable and trustworthy.
• Encouraging: Full of support and encouragement.
• Precise: Does things to an exact standard.
• Intelligent: Smart and knowledgeable.
• Sociable: Enjoys frequent interactions with others.
• Trusting: Has trust in others.
• Trustworthy: Can be relied upon.
• Vibrant: Outgoing, colorful, and lively.
• Fearless: Brave and shows no fear.
• Loyal: Supportive to those close.
• Patient: Shows patience.
• Compassionate: Understands others’ situations.
• Determined: Sticks to decisions.
• Adaptable: Can easily make changes.
• Understanding: Easily understands others.
• Empathetic: Understands and feels others’ emotions.

Now, examples using these words in sentences:

• My father is a very honest and trustworthy man.
• When I first met Michael, I thought he was patient, and I was right.
• My friend Sarah is a very loyal woman.
• The girl who works in the local supermarket is extremely amiable.
• My son is a very intelligent boy.
• Your aunt seems like a friendly person.
• I am patient.
• You are determined.

Negative Personality Traits

There are negative aspects to our personalities, and specific adjectives describe these traits. Let’s explore some:

• Catty: Makes nasty remarks about others.
• Clumsy: Accident-prone.
• Childish: Behaves immaturely.
• Cocky: Has an overinflated ego.
• Controlling: Likes taking control of situations.
• Impatient: Lacks patience.
• Insecure: Lacks self-assurance or confidence.
• Jealous: Envious of others or things.
• Rebellious: Goes against rules.
• Rowdy: Loud, disruptive, and brash.
• Selfish: Puts themselves before others.
• Sleazy: Sordid or corrupt.
• Spoiled: Feels entitled or deserving more than others.
• Stubborn: Unyielding in opinions, even if incorrect.
• Dishonest: Not truthful.
• Lazy: Averse to doing much.
• Evil: Calculating, nasty, bad.
• Cruel: Unkind to others for fun.
• Naggy: Repeats themselves to get others to act.
• Unethical: Willing to harm others to get ahead.
• Judgmental: Quick to judge others without full information.
• Pessimistic: Sees the worst in everything.
• Fussy: Pays excessive attention to detail.
• Grumpy: Not friendly, often in a bad mood.
• Gullible: Believes anything told to them.
• Paranoid: Constantly fears something bad will happen.

Now, examples of these traits in sentences:

• My brother, John used to be very judgmental.
• I don’t like to admit it often, but I am quite a grumpy person.
• My boss is very dishonest and often unethical in his decisions.
• I met a man last week who was the most sleazy person I have ever come across.
• My ex-girlfriend was very jealous.
• My sister was very selfish when we were kids.
• I have a friend who is so clumsy, I have to serve her coffee in a plastic cup.
• My teenage daughter is still very childish.

Positive Personality Traits List

• Adventurous
• Affectionate
• Ambitious
• Authentic
• Brave
• Calm
• Caring
• Charismatic
• Cheerful
• Clever
• Compassionate
• Confident
• Conscientious
• Considerate
• Courageous
• Creative
• Curious
• Decisive
• Dependable
• Determined
• Diligent
• Diplomatic
• Disciplined
• Easygoing
• Efficient
• Empathetic
• Encouraging
• Energetic
• Enthusiastic
• Expressive
• Fair
• Faithful
• Flexible
• Forgiving
• Friendly
• Generous
• Genuine
• Gracious
• Honest
• Humble
• Humorous
• Imaginative
• Independent
• Innovative
• Insightful
• Intelligent
• Intuitive
• Joyful
• Kind
• Knowledgeable
• Loyal
• Mature
• Modest
• Nurturing
• Optimistic
• Open-minded
• Organized
• Outgoing
• Patient
• Perceptive
• Persistent
• Personable
• Philanthropic
• Polite
• Positive
• Practical
• Pragmatic
• Precise
• Productive
• Professional
• Punctual
• Reliable
• Resourceful
• Responsible
• Respectful
• Self-assured
• Self-disciplined
• Selfless
• Sensitive
• Sincere
• Skilled
• Sociable
• Stable
• Strong
• Supportive
• Sympathetic
• Thoughtful
• Tolerant
• Trusting
• Trustworthy
• Understanding
• Unselfish
• Versatile
• Warm
• Well-mannered
• Wise

Negative Personality Traits List

• Aggressive
• Arrogant
• Argumentative
• Closed-minded
• Critical
• Cynical
• Dishonest
• Disrespectful
• Envious
• Flaky
• Greedy
• Harsh
• Hostile
• Impatient
• Inconsiderate
• Inflexible
• Insensitive
• Intolerant
• Irrational
• Irresponsible
• Judgmental
• Lazy
• Manipulative
• Moody
• Narrow-minded
• Needy
• Negative
• Nervous
• Obnoxious
• Overbearing
• Passive-aggressive
• Pessimistic
• Possessive
• Procrastinating
• Rude
• Self-centered
• Selfish
• Short-tempered
• Stubborn
• Superficial
• Suspicious
• Temperamental
• Thoughtless
• Unassertive
• Unforgiving
• Unreliable
• Unresponsive
• Vain
• Violent
• Weak-willed

Conclusion

Understanding various personality traits in English is crucial for effectively describing yourself, others, or even fictional characters. These words play a significant role in portraying someone’s nature to others. They are especially beneficial in written English, particularly when crafting detailed character descriptions in fictional works.

These character traits, both positive and negative, are employed with the verb ‘to be.’