Describing Social Behaviours: English Vocabulary List

reluctant to speak to others, especially about one's thoughts and emotions

"He is reticent about his past."

"The reticent student never raised his hand in class and spoke only when the teacher called on him directly."

characterized by taking initiative to control or influence a situation rather than merely reacting to events

"You need to be proactive."

"The proactive manager scheduled regular maintenance on the machines to prevent breakdowns before they could cause any production delays or costly repairs."

(of people) delighted by the company of others

"She is a gregarious person."

"The gregarious host made sure that every guest felt welcome and introduced people who did not know each other at the party."

lacking in politeness, courtesy, or good manners

"It was ungracious of you to leave early."

"It was ungracious of you to leave the party without saying thank you to the host."

showing a tendency to have control over others without taking their emotions into account

"His domineering attitude is tiresome."

"The domineering boss made all the decisions without consulting her employees and nobody dared to question her authority or judgment."

(of a person) straightforward in expressing thoughts or opinions

"She gave a forthright answer."

"He was forthright about his intentions and told her directly that he was not looking for a serious relationship at this time."

inclined to argue or provoke disagreement

"The topic is contentious."

"The contentious debate about immigration policy lasted for three hours and neither side was willing to compromise on their positions at all."

reserved, aloof, or distant in one's interactions with others, often conveying a sense of unfriendliness or coldness

"The new neighbor is standoffish."

"The new neighbor seemed standoffish at first but she was actually just shy and needed time to feel comfortable around new people."

being dishonest and betraying someone behind their back, without them knowing

"I don't like backstabbing friends."

"The backstabbing coworker pretended to be friendly while secretly sabotaging her colleagues to get ahead in her career at the company."

(of a person or organization) having a desire to promote the well-being of others, typically through charitable donations or actions

"The organization is philanthropic."

"The philanthropic organization raised millions of dollars to build clean water wells in remote villages across Africa and Asia."

excessively allowing oneself or others to have more than is necessary

"The parents are overindulgent."

"The overindulgent parents bought their child everything he wanted and he grew up spoiled and unable to handle disappointment or failure well."