Personality traits and attitudes

Fernanda M. (Brazil)
27 words 5 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. blithe
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
    Rachel's blithe attitude toward spending money left her penniless and in debt.
  2. bumptious
    offensively self-assertive
    The bumptious man could not stop talking about himself or looking in the mirror.
  3. capricious
    determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
    Robin Willians demonstrates a most capricious nature even qhen he is not performing.
  4. churlish
    rude and boorish
    Angelo's churlish remarks made everyone at the table uncomfortable and ill at ease.
  5. circumspect
    careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
    the captain was circumspect as he guided the boat through the fog.
  6. craven
    an abject coward
    this craven act of violence will not go unpunished.
  7. diffident
    showing modest reserve
    Allan's diffident nature is often misinterpreted as arrogance.
  8. gregarious
    temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
    John was a gregarious fellow who always had fun at social events.
  9. irascible
    quickly aroused to anger
    her irascible temperament caused many problems with the staff at the office.
  10. overweening
    presumptuously arrogant
    I quit because I couldn't stand to work for such an overweening boss.
  11. perfidious
    tending to betray
    the perfidious knight betrayed his king.
  12. personable
    pleasant in manner and appearance
    Sandra is a personable and well-liked by her peers.
  13. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
    The pouting and sulking child could only be described as petulant.
  14. peevish
    easily irritated or annoyed
    peevish patients in the doctor's waiting room.
  15. pretentious
    creating an appearance of importance or distinction
    Hannah thinks that being pretentious will make people like her, but she is sorely mistaken.
  16. puerile
    displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
    Andrew is a remarkably successful businessman for someone so puerile.
  17. punctilious
    marked by precise accordance with details
    Kira is as punctilious in her personal affairs as she is in the workplace.
  18. sagacious
    acutely insightful and wise
    my sagacious uncle always gives me good, sound advice.
  19. saturnine
    bitter or scornful
    the saturnine child sulked for hours.
  20. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
    Emily received a surly greeting from the normally cheerful receptionist.
  21. whimsical
    determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
    it's hard to make plans with such a whimsical best friend.
  22. boorish
    ill-mannered and coarse in behavior or appearance
    boorish behavior, such as yelling for service in restaurants.
  23. treacherous
    dangerously unstable and unpredictable
    a treacherous act of betrayal.
  24. gloomy
    filled with melancholy and despondency
    I've never seen you looking so gloomy.
  25. sullen
    showing a brooding ill humor
    sullen and bored at his in-laws' house, he couldn't wait for the holidays to end.
  26. gruff
    blunt and unfriendly or stern
    Don't be fooled by his gruff manner—he's really very kind.
  27. fretful
    nervous and unable to relax
    He fell into a fretful sleep.
Created on Wed Feb 27 12:32:58 EST 2013 (updated Wed Feb 27 13:19:06 EST 2013)

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