20 Precise Words to Describe Someone's Personality
Learn a new word every day
Free on iOS & Android
"Nice" and "shy" only go so far. Here are 20 precise words for describing people — from reticent to convivial — that capture exactly what someone is like.
20 Precise Words to Describe Someone's Personality
"He's nice." "She's a bit shy." We reach for the same tired handful of words to describe the most interesting thing there is — people. The right word does so much more: it captures a whole temperament in a single stroke.
Here are 20 precise words for describing personality, drawn from the vocabulary our learners love most. Try them on the people you know.
For the quiet and reserved
1. Reticent (adj.) — reserved; slow to reveal thoughts or feelings.
2. Taciturn (adj.) — habitually silent; a person of few words.
3. Demure (adj.) — quiet, modest, and composed.
4. Callow (adj.) — young, naive, and inexperienced.
For the social and spirited
5. Convivial (adj.) — warm, friendly, and fond of good company.
6. Garrulous (adj.) — endlessly talkative, especially about trifles.
7. Jaded (adj.) — weary and unimpressed after too much of something.
8. Contumacious (adj.) — stubbornly disobedient; rebellious.
9. Clairvoyant (adj.) — seeming to perceive what others cannot.
10. Flibbertigibbet (n.) — a flighty, frivolous, easily distracted person.
For types of people
11. Misanthrope (n.) — a person who dislikes and distrusts humankind.
12. Paragon (n.) — a model of excellence that others measure themselves against.
13. Altruist (n.) — someone who helps others selflessly.
14. Latitudinarian (n.) — a broad-minded, tolerant person.
15. Bibliophile (n.) — a devoted lover of books.
16. Aphorist (n.) — a person who coins pithy, memorable sayings.
17. Percipient (n.) — a keen observer who notices what others miss.
18. Prevaricator (n.) — a habitual liar; one who dodges the truth.
19. Nincompoop (n.) — a foolish or silly person.
20. Smellfungus (n.) — a habitual faultfinder who complains about everything.
Find the perfect word for anyone. The Vocabulary app grows your vocabulary for people, feelings, and everything in between — one word a day.
Get The Vocabulary app