C2 English Adjectives: Positive & Neutral Personality
Attaining C2 proficiency involves mastering a lexicon capable of conveying highly specific and nuanced descriptions of human character. This initial section is dedicated to adjectives that delineate the complexities of personality with remarkable precision, moving far beyond simple descriptors to capture the subtle shades of human nature.
Within this list, you will explore an extensive collection of Positive Personality Traits, including words such as benevolent, erudite, and judicious, which are essential for articulating admiration and respect. Additionally, you will find a curated selection of Neutral or Descriptive Personality Traits like idiosyncratic and pensive, allowing for objective and insightful characterisation without inherent judgment.
Jump to a section:
- Positive Personality Traits
- Neutral/Descriptive Personality Traits
- Dishonest, Cruel & Immoral
- Rude, Arrogant & Annoying
- Foolish, Weak & Incompetent
- Communication & Expression
- Danger, Threat & Severity
- Importance & Significance
- Quality & Standards
- Physical Appearance & Condition
- Size, Amount & Extent
- Time & Duration
- Emotional States
- Behaviour & Conduct
- Abstract Qualities & States
Positive Personality Traits
| Word | Example Sentence | IPA (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| acclaimed | She is an internationally acclaimed artist.
Word Partners: critically/widely/internationally acclaimed
|
/əˈkleɪmd/ |
| adroit | He gave an adroit response to the difficult question.
Word Partners: adroit response
|
/əˈdrɔɪt/ |
| affable | The new manager was affable and easy to approach. | /ˈæfəbl/ |
| altruistic | Her work was driven by purely altruistic motives.
Word Partners: altruistic motives
|
/ˌæltruˈɪstɪk/ |
| amenable | He seemed amenable to the suggestion. | /əˈmiːnəbl/ |
| assiduous | She was assiduous in her research. | /əˈsɪdjuəs/ |
| astute | She made some astute observations about the market.
Word Partners: astute observation
|
/əˈstjuːt/ |
| auspicious | It was an auspicious start to the new year.
Word Partners: auspicious start/beginning
|
/ɔːˈspɪʃəs/ |
| benevolent | The company's CEO was seen as a benevolent dictator.
Word Partners: benevolent dictator/smile
|
/bəˈnevələnt/ |
| cordial | Relations between the two countries remained cordial. | /ˈkɔːdiəl/ |
| debonair | He cut a debonair figure in his evening suit. | /ˌdebəˈneə(r)/ |
| decorous | She maintained a decorous silence throughout the ceremony.
Word Partners: decorous manner/behaviour/silence
|
/ˈdekərəs/ |
| dexterous | The pianist's fingers were incredibly dexterous. | /ˈdekstrəs/ |
| dogged | Her dogged determination finally paid off.
Word Partners: dogged determination/persistence
|
/ˈdɒɡɪd/ |
| ebullient | She was in an ebullient mood after her success.
Word Partners: ebullient mood/personality
|
/ɪˈbʌliənt/ |
| eloquent | She gave an eloquent speech at the conference.
Word Partners: eloquent speech/testimony
|
/ˈeləkwənt/ |
| erudite | He was an erudite scholar of classical history. | /ˈeruːdaɪt/ |
| fortuitous | The timing of the discovery was entirely fortuitous. | /fɔːˈtjuːɪtəs/ |
| genial | He had a genial manner that put people at ease.
Word Partners: genial host/manner
|
/ˈdʒiːniəl/ |
| gregarious | She's very gregarious and loves socialising. | /ɡrɪˈɡeəriəs/ |
| impeccable | Her impeccable manners impressed everyone.
Word Partners: impeccable manners/taste
|
/ɪmˈpekəbl/ |
| indomitable | Her indomitable spirit inspired us all.
Word Partners: indomitable spirit/will
|
/ɪnˈdɒmɪtəbl/ |
| industrious | She was a most industrious student. | /ɪnˈdʌstriəs/ |
| ingenious | It was an ingenious solution to a very complex problem.
Word Partners: ingenious solution/device
|
/ɪnˈdʒiːniəs/ |
| ingenuous | His ingenuous manner won everyone over. | /ɪnˈdʒenjuəs/ |
| judicious | She made judicious use of her limited time.
Word Partners: judicious use of
|
/dʒuːˈdɪʃəs/ |
| laudable | Her efforts to help the community were laudable. | /ˈlɔːdəbl/ |
| lucid | She gave a lucid explanation of the complex scientific theory.
Word Partners: lucid explanation/account
|
/ˈluːsɪd/ |
| magnanimous | It was a magnanimous gesture for him to forgive his rival.
Word Partners: magnanimous gesture, magnanimous in victory
|
/mæɡˈnænɪməs/ |
| meticulous | The project required meticulous attention to detail.
Word Partners: meticulous attention to detail
|
/məˈtɪkjələs/ |
| munificent | The donor made a munificent gift to the university.
Word Partners: munificent gift
|
/mjuːˈnɪfɪsnt/ |
| painstaking | The restoration of the manuscript was a painstaking process.
Word Partners: painstaking effort/research/process
|
/ˈpeɪnzteɪkɪŋ/ |
| perspicacious | Her perspicacious analysis revealed flaws others had missed.
Word Partners: perspicacious analysis
|
/ˌpɜːspɪˈkeɪʃəs/ |
| philanthropic | She was known for her philanthropic work.
Word Partners: philanthropic work/activities
|
/ˌfɪlənˈθrɒpɪk/ |
| pious | She came from a pious family. | /ˈpaɪəs/ |
| placid | The baby had a placid temperament. | /ˈplæsɪd/ |
| precocious | She was a precocious child who could read at the age of three.
Word Partners: precocious child/talent
|
/prɪˈkəʊʃəs/ |
| preeminent | He held a preeminent position in his field for decades. | /priˈemɪnənt/ |
| prudent | It would be prudent to wait for the full report. | /ˈpruːdnt/ |
| punctilious | He was punctilious about following every detail of the protocol. | /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/ |
| quintessential | This novel is the quintessential example of his early style.
Word Partners: quintessential example
|
/ˌkwɪntɪˈsenʃl/ |
| resilient | Children are remarkably resilient to change. | /rɪˈzɪliənt/ |
| resolute | She remained resolute in her decision to leave.
Word Partners: remain resolute
|
/ˈrezəluːt/ |
| reverent | They spoke in reverent tones about their former mentor.
Word Partners: reverent silence/tone
|
/ˈrevərənt/ |
| reverential | The audience maintained a reverential silence.
Word Partners: reverential silence/tone
|
/ˌrevəˈrenʃl/ |
| rigorous | The study was subjected to rigorous testing.
Word Partners: rigorous standards/testing/methodology
|
/ˈrɪɡərəs/ |
| sacrosanct | The principle of judicial independence is considered sacrosanct in a democracy. | /ˈsækrəʊsæŋkt/ |
| sagacious | She was known for her sagacious advice.
Word Partners: sagacious advice
|
/səˈɡeɪʃəs/ |
| sanguine | I'm not very sanguine about our chances of success. | /ˈsæŋɡwɪn/ |
| scrupulous | The accountant was scrupulous in maintaining accurate records. | /ˈskruːpjələs/ |
| sedulous | She pursued the investigation with sedulous attention to every detail. | /ˈsedjələs/ |
| solemn | He made a solemn promise never to return.
Word Partners: solemn promise/vow
|
/ˈsɒləm/ |
| solicitous | He was always very solicitous about her health. | /səˈlɪsɪtəs/ |
| staunch | She remained a staunch supporter of the party.
Word Partners: staunch supporter/ally
|
/stɔːntʃ/ |
| tenacious | She was tenacious in pursuing her goals. | /təˈneɪʃəs/ |
| tractable | Fortunately, the new employees proved to be quite tractable. | /ˈtræktəbl/ |
| tranquil | We spent a tranquil afternoon by the lake.
Word Partners: tranquil setting/atmosphere
|
/ˈtræŋkwɪl/ |
| undaunted | Undaunted by the setback, she continued with her plans. | /ʌnˈdɔːntɪd/ |
| unpretentious | Despite his vast wealth, he remained refreshingly unpretentious. | /ˌʌnprɪˈtenʃəs/ |
| unremitting | The charity worker showed unremitting dedication to the cause.
Word Partners: unremitting effort/dedication
|
/ˌʌnrɪˈmɪtɪŋ/ |
| urbane | He had an urbane sophistication that came from years of living abroad. | /ɜːˈbeɪn/ |
| venerable | Cambridge is one of the country's most venerable institutions.
Word Partners: venerable institution
|
/ˈvenərəbl/ |
| vivacious | She had a vivacious personality that lit up the room. | /vɪˈveɪʃəs/ |
| zealous | He was a zealous supporter of the new policy.
Word Partners: zealous supporter
|
/ˈzeləs/ |
Neutral/Descriptive Personality Traits
| Word | Example Sentence | IPA (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| abiding | She had an abiding interest in history.
Word Partners: abiding interest/love
|
/əˈbaɪdɪŋ/ |
| adamant | Despite the evidence, he remained adamant in his denial.
Word Partners: remain adamant
|
/ˈædəmənt/ |
| ambivalent | I feel ambivalent about the proposed changes. | /æmˈbɪvələnt/ |
| apathetic | Young people are often criticised for being apathetic about politics. | /ˌæpəˈθetɪk/ |
| apprehensive | She felt apprehensive about the upcoming interview. | /ˌæprɪˈhensɪv/ |
| austere | They lived in austere conditions with no luxuries.
Word Partners: austere conditions/surroundings
|
/ɒˈstɪə(r)/ |
| besotted | He was completely besotted with her. | /bɪˈsɒtɪd/ |
| bewitching | The actress had a bewitching beauty.
Word Partners: bewitching beauty/smile
|
/bɪˈwɪtʃɪŋ/ |
| circumspect | You should be more circumspect in your comments. | /ˈsɜːkəmspekt/ |
| cloistered | She had lived a cloistered existence in the countryside, away from the city.
Word Partners: cloistered life/existence
|
/ˈklɔɪstəd/ |
| convivial | The atmosphere at the dinner party was warm and convivial. | /kənˈvɪviəl/ |
| coquettish | She gave him a coquettish smile.
Word Partners: coquettish smile/manner
|
/kəʊˈketɪʃ/ |
| daunting | She was faced with the daunting task of organising the conference.
Word Partners: daunting task/challenge
|
/ˈdɔːntɪŋ/ |
| devoid | The landscape was completely devoid of any vegetation. | /dɪˈvɔɪd/ |
| disinterested | We need a disinterested third party to mediate the dispute.
Word Partners: disinterested observer/third party
|
/dɪsˈɪntrəstɪd/ |
| dispassionate | We need a dispassionate analysis of the facts.
Word Partners: dispassionate analysis/assessment
|
/dɪsˈpæʃənət/ |
| effusive | She was effusive in her praise for the team. | /ɪˈfjuːsɪv/ |
| elated | I was elated by the news of my promotion. | /ɪˈleɪtɪd/ |
| enigmatic | She gave an enigmatic smile when asked about her plans.
Word Partners: enigmatic smile/figure
|
/ˌenɪɡˈmætɪk/ |
| enticing | The offer of a promotion was extremely enticing. | /ɪnˈtaɪsɪŋ/ |
| equivocal | The minister gave an equivocal response to the direct question. | /ɪˈkwɪvəkl/ |
| erotic | The museum housed a collection of erotic art.
Word Partners: erotic art/literature
|
/ɪˈrɒtɪk/ |
| erstwhile | He met with his erstwhile colleague to discuss the past.
Word Partners: erstwhile friend/colleague
|
/ˈɜːstwaɪl/ |
| exacting | She was a demanding boss with exacting standards.
Word Partners: exacting standards
|
/ɪɡˈzæktɪŋ/ |
| exuberant | The children were in exuberant spirits.
Word Partners: exuberant spirits/personality
|
/ɪɡˈzjuːbərənt/ |
| fervent | She is a fervent supporter of the environmental cause.
Word Partners: fervent supporter/believer
|
/ˈfɜːvənt/ |
| fervid | His fervid imagination created fantastical stories.
Word Partners: fervid imagination
|
/ˈfɜːvɪd/ |
| formidable | She faced formidable opposition from her rivals.
Word Partners: formidable opponent/opposition/challenge
|
/ˈfɔːmɪdəbl/ |
| frugal | They lead a frugal lifestyle, saving most of their income.
Word Partners: frugal lifestyle
|
/ˈfruːɡl/ |
| idiosyncratic | The director has an idiosyncratic style of filmmaking. | /ˌɪdiəsɪŋˈkrætɪk/ |
| idyllic | They lived in an idyllic setting in the countryside.
Word Partners: idyllic setting/weekend
|
/ɪˈdɪlɪk/ |
| impartial | A judge must remain impartial at all times. | /ɪmˈpɑːʃl/ |
| impassive | His face remained impassive throughout the trial. | /ɪmˈpæsɪv/ |
| impertinent | Don't be impertinent! | /ɪmˈpɜːtɪnənt/ |
| imperturbable | She remained imperturbable despite the chaos around her. | /ˌɪmpəˈtɜːbəbl/ |
| impervious | He seemed impervious to criticism. | /ɪmˈpɜːviəs/ |
| impetuous | He made an impetuous decision to quit his job. | /ɪmˈpetʃuəs/ |
| impromptu | She gave an impromptu speech at the wedding.
Word Partners: impromptu speech/performance
|
/ɪmˈprɒmptjuː/ |
| incisive | She made some incisive comments about the flaws in the policy. | /ɪnˈsaɪsɪv/ |
| ineffable | She experienced a moment of ineffable joy upon seeing her child for the first time. | /ɪnˈefəbl/ |
| innocuous | The comment seemed innocuous enough, but it caused great offence. | /ɪˈnɒkjuəs/ |
| intrepid | The intrepid explorer ventured into unknown territory.
Word Partners: intrepid explorer/traveller
|
/ɪnˈtrepɪd/ |
| intrusive | The questions felt rather intrusive. | /ɪnˈtruːsɪv/ |
| irreproachable | Her conduct was irreproachable. | /ˌɪrɪˈprəʊtʃəbl/ |
| lenient | The judge was unusually lenient with the first-time offender. | /ˈliːniənt/ |
| level-headed | We need someone level-headed in a crisis. | /ˌlevl ˈhedɪd/ |
| malleable | Young minds are more malleable than those of adults. | /ˈmæliəbl/ |
| mutable | Fashion trends are highly mutable, changing from season to season. | /ˈmjuːtəbl/ |
| penitent | He appeared genuinely penitent for his actions. | /ˈpenɪtənt/ |
| pensive | She sat in a pensive mood, staring out the window.
Word Partners: pensive mood/silence
|
/ˈpensɪv/ |
| phlegmatic | He maintained a phlegmatic attitude throughout the crisis. | /fleɡˈmætɪk/ |
| quiescent | The volcano has been quiescent for many years. | /kwiˈesnt/ |
| reclusive | The author led a reclusive life, avoiding all publicity.
Word Partners: reclusive life/lifestyle
|
/rɪˈkluːsɪv/ |
| reticent | He was very reticent about his past. | /ˈretɪsnt/ |
| singular | She showed a singular achievement in her field. | /ˈsɪŋɡjələ(r)/ |
| solitary | He led a solitary life in the remote mountains. | /ˈsɒlətri/ |
| stoic | She remained stoic throughout her illness. | /ˈstəʊɪk/ |
| stolid | His stolid demeanour gave nothing away. | /ˈstɒlɪd/ |
| taciturn | He was a taciturn man who rarely spoke. | /ˈtæsɪtɜːn/ |
| tentative | She made a tentative suggestion about changing the schedule. | /ˈtentətɪv/ |
| vociferous | The union members were vociferous in their opposition to the cuts. | /vəˈsɪfərəs/ |
| whimsical | The story had a whimsical charm.
Word Partners: whimsical charm/humour
|
/ˈwɪmzɪkl/ |
| wistful | She gave a wistful sigh as she remembered her childhood. | /ˈwɪstfl/ |
