Words That Describe Characters and Character Traits
The following list contains adjectives describing characters’ personalities. In parentheses after some words are character traits, the noun forms of the descriptive words. What’s the difference? Here’s an example:
Mrs. Gerike is brilliant. (Brilliant is an adjective describing Mrs. Gerike.)
Mrs. Gerike is full of brilliance. (Brilliance is a thing, a character trait Mrs. Gerike possesses.)
Able (Ability)
Absent-minded
Active
Adventurous (Adventure)
Affectionate (Affection)
Afraid (Fear)
Aggressive (Aggression)
Alert
Ambitious (Ambition)
Angry (Anger)
Annoyed
Anxious (Anxiety)
Apologetic
Appreciative
(Appreciation)
Argumentative
Arrogant (Arrogance)
Artistic
Assertive (Assertiveness)
Attentive
Average
Awkward (Awkwardness)
Babyish
Bashful
Bewildered
Boastful
Bold
Boorish
Bored
Bossy
Brainy (Intelligence)
Brave (Bravery)
Bright
Brilliant (Brilliance)
Busy
Callous
Calm
Candid
Capable (Capability)
Carefree
Careful
Careless (Carelessness)
Caring
Cautious (Caution)
Changeable
Charismatic (Charisma)
Charitable (Charity)
Charming (Charm)
Cheerful (Cheer)
Clever
Clumsy (Clumsiness)
Cold-hearted
Committed
Communicative
Compassionate(Compassion)
Competent (Competence)
Complacent
Conceited (Conceit)
Concerned (Concern)
Confident (Confidence)
Confused (Confusion)
Conscientious
Considerate (Consideration)
Consistent (Consideration)
Contented (Contentment)
Cooperative (Cooperation)
Courageous (Courage)
Cowardly (Cowardice)
Crafty
Creative
Cross
Cruel (Cruelty)
Curious (Curiosity)
Dainty
Dangerous (Danger)
Daring
Dark
Decisive (Decisiveness)
Defiant (Defiance)
Demanding
Dependable
Depressed (Depression)
Despondent
Determined
(Determination)
Devoted (Devotion)
Diligent (Diligence)
Disaffected
Disagreeable
Discerning
Discouraged
Discreet (Discretion)
Dishonest (Dishonesty)
Disillusioned
(Disillusionment)
Disloyal (Disloyalty)
Dismayed (Dismay)
Disorganized
Disparaging (Disparagement)
Disrespectful
Dissatisfied (Dissatisfaction)
Distressed (Distress)
Domineering
(Domination)
Doubtful (Doubt)
Dreamer
Dreamy
Dull
Dutiful (Duty)
Eager
Easygoing
Effervescent (Effervescence)
Efficient (Efficiency)
Eloquent (Eloquence)
Embarrassed
(Embarrassment)
Encouraging
(Encouragement)
Energetic (Energy)
Entertaining
Enthusiastic (Enthusiasm)
Envious (Envy)
Evil (Evil)
Excitable
Excited
Expert (Expert)
Exuberant (Exuberance)
Fair (Fairness)
Faithful (Faith)
Fearful (Fear)
Fearless
Feisty
Ferocious(Ferocity)
Fidgety
Fierce (Fierceness)
Finicky
Flexible (Flexibility)
Foolish (Foolishness)
Forgetful
Forgiving (Forgiveness)
Formal
Fortunate (Fortune)
Foul
Frank
Fresh
Friendly
Frightened (Fright)
Frustrated (Frustration)
Fun-loving
Funny
Furious (Fury)
Fussy
Generous (Generosity)
Gentle (Gentleness)
Giddy (Giddiness)
Giving
Glamorous (Glamour)
Gloomy (Gloom)
Glum
Graceful(Grace)
Greedy (Greed)
Gregarious
(Gregariousness)
Grouchy
Grumpy
Guilty (Guilt)
Gullible
Happy (Happiness)
Hard-working
Hardy
Harsh
Hateful (Hate)
Haughty (Haughtiness)
Healthy (Health)
Helpful
Hesitant
Honest (Honesty)
Honorable (Honor)
Hopeful (Hope)
Hopeless
Hospitable (Hospitality)
Hot-tempered
Humble (Humility)
Humiliated (Humiliation)
Humorous (Humor)
Ignorant (Ignorance)
Ill-mannered
Imaginative (Imagination)
Immature (Immaturity)
Impartial (Impartiality)
Impatient (Impatience)
Impolite
Impulsive (Impulsivity)
Inconsiderate
Inconsistent (Inconsistency)
Indecisive (Indecision)
Independent (Independence)
Indiscriminate
Indolent (Indolence)
Industrious
Innocent (Innocence)
Insecure (Insecurity)
Insincere (Insincerity)
Insistent (Insistence)
Insolent (Insolence)
Intelligent (Intelligence)
Intolerant (Intolerance)
Intrepid
Inventive
Jealous (Jealousy)
Jolly
Joyful (Joy)
Languid
Lazy (Laziness)
Light-hearted
Lively
Logical (Logic)
Lonely
Lovable
Loving
Loyal (Loyalty)
Lucky(Luck)
Lying
Malicious (Malice)
Mannerly (Manners)
Mature (Maturity)
Mean (Meanness)
Meek
Merciful (Mercy)
Messy
Meticulous
Mischievous (Mischief)
Miserable (Misery)
Moody
Mysterious(Mystery)
Nagging
Naïve (Naïveté)
Nasty
Naughty
Neat (Neatness)
Nervous (Nerves)
Nosy
Obedient (Obedience)
Obliging
Obnoxious
Observant
Open
Optimistic (Optimism)
Organized (Organization)
Outspoken
Patient (Patience)
Patriotic (Patriotism)
Peaceful (Peace)
Perplexed
Persistent (Persistence)
Persuasive (Persuasion)
Pessimistic (Pessimism)
Picky
Plain
Playful
Pleasant
Polite
Popular (Popularity)
Positive
Precise(Precision)
Prim
Proper
Proud (Pride)
Punctual (Punctuality)
Purposeful (Purpose)
Puzzled
Quarrelsome
Quick
Quick-tempered
Quick-witted
Quiet
Rational
Reasonable (Reason)
Reckless (Recklessness)
Reliable (Reliability)
Religious (Religion)
Remorseful (Remorse)
Repulsive (Repulsion)
Reserved
Resourceful
Respectful (Respect)
Responsible (Responsibility)
Restless
Rich
Rigid (Rigidity)
Risk-taking
Rough
Rowdy(Rowdiness)
Rude (Rudeness)
Ruthless (Ruthlessness)
Sad (Sadness)
Safe (Safety)
Satisfied (Satisfaction)
Scared
Scheming
Secretive
Secure (Security)
Self-centered
Self-confident
Self-controlling
Selfish (Selfishness)
Sensitive (Sensitivity)
Sentimental
(Sentimentality)
Serious (Seriousness)
Sharp
Sharp-witted
Shiftless
Short
Shrewd (Shrewdness)
Shy (Shyness)
Silly (Silliness)
Simple (Simplicity)
Simple-minded
Sincere (Sincerity)
Skillful(Skill)
Sloppy (Sloppiness)
Sly (Slyness)
Smart (Intelligence)
Sneaky
Soft-hearted
Solitary
Sorry
Spendthrift
Spiteful (Spite)
Spoiled
Spunky
Sterile (Sterility)
Stern
Stingy (Stinginess)
Strange
Strict
Strong (Strength)
Stubborn (Stubbornness)
Studious (Studiousness)
Submissive
Successful (Success)
Superstitious (Superstition)
Supportive (Support)
Suspicious (Suspicion)
Sweet(Sweetness)
Tactful (Tact)
Tactless
Talented (Talent)
Talkative
Tardy
Tense
Thankful (Thankfulness)
Thorough
(Thoroughness)
Thoughtful
(Thoughtfulness)
Thoughtless
Thrifty (Thriftiness)
Thrilled
Timid (Timidity)
Tired
Tireless
Tolerant (Tolerance)
Touchy
Tough
Trusting
Trustworthy
Truthful (Honesty)
Unconcerned
Uncoordinated
Undependable
Understanding
Unforgiving
Unfriendly
Ungrateful
Unhappy
Unkind
Unmerciful
Unselfish
Unsuitable
Upset
Violent (Violence)
Virtuous (Virtue)
Warm (Warmth)
Weak (Weakness)
Wicked
Wild
Wise (Wisdom)
Wishy-washy
Withdrawn
Witty (Wit)
Worried (Worry)
Wrong
Zany (Zaniness)
Zealous