Describing Moral Traits: English Vocabulary List

nice and caring toward other people's feelings

"The nurse is very kind."

"The kind stranger helped the old woman carry her groceries up the stairs and refused to accept any money as a reward for his good deed."

thoughtful of others and their feelings

"You are very considerate."

"It was very considerate of you to save me a seat at the crowded restaurant because I arrived late due to traffic and unexpected delays."

telling the truth and having no intention of cheating or stealing

"He is an honest man."

"The honest salesman told the customer that the cheaper model would actually meet her needs better than the expensive one and she appreciated his integrity and advice."

able to remain calm, especially in challenging or difficult situations, without becoming annoyed or anxious

"Please be patient."

"The patient teacher explained the math problem three times until every student in the class understood how to solve it correctly on their own."

showing respect to what other people say or do even when one disagrees with them

"We must be tolerant."

"The tolerant community welcomed refugees from war torn countries and helped them find housing jobs and schools for their children without any discrimination at all."

able to excuse people's faults, mistakes, or offenses

"She has a forgiving nature."

"She was forgiving of her friend's mistake because she knew that everyone makes errors sometimes and holding a grudge would only hurt their friendship in the long run."

showing firm and constant support to a person, organization, cause, or belief

"The dog is loyal."

"The loyal dog waited by the door every day for its owner to come home from work and greeted him with excited barks and wagging tail."

treating others with politeness, consideration, and dignity

"The child is respectful."

"The respectful student always said please and thank you to her teachers at school."

showing concern for the well-being of others and being kind and supportive in one's actions and interactions

"She is a caring person."

"The caring nurse stayed with the frightened patient until he fell asleep at night."

having a willingness to freely give or share something with others, without expecting anything in return

"He is generous with his time."

"The generous millionaire donated most of his fortune to build schools in poor communities."

not truthful or trustworthy, often engaging in immoral behavior

"The salesman was dishonest."

"The dishonest salesman lied about the car's condition and the buyer discovered many problems later."

not deserving of trust or confidence

"This car is unreliable."

"The unreliable bus service made her late for work several times so she bought a bicycle."

failing to remain faithful to a person, group, or cause

"He is disloyal to his friends."

"The disloyal employee shared company secrets with a competitor and was fired immediately after the boss found out."

having an excessive and intense desire for something, especially wealth, possessions, or power

"The boss is greedy."

"The greedy landlord raised the rent every year without making any improvements to the old building."

neglecting one's duties or obligations, often causing harm or inconvenience to others

"It is irresponsible to be late."

"It was irresponsible of him to leave the front door unlocked when he went to bed."

always putting one's interests first and not caring about the needs or rights of others

"He is very selfish."

"His selfish behavior of taking the last piece of cake without asking upset everyone at the table."

behaving or talking in a way that is inconsiderate or offensive to a person or thing

"His tone was disrespectful."

"The disrespectful teenager rolled his eyes when his father asked him to clean his room."

not friendly, considerate, or showing mercy to others

"That was an unkind remark."

"The unkind comment about her appearance made her feel sad and insecure for days afterward."

showing no mercy, particularly toward people's faults

"He is unforgiving."

"The unforgiving boss fired the employee for a single small mistake after ten years of loyal service."

unable to wait calmly for something or someone, often feeling irritated or frustrated

"I am getting impatient."

"The impatient driver honked his horn loudly as soon as the traffic light turned green."