Human Attributes: English Vocabulary List

so unreasonable or illogical that it provokes disbelief or laughter

"The idea is absurd."

"The absurd idea that the earth is flat has been proven wrong by scientists for hundreds of years now."

possessing great skill in a certain field

"She is accomplished."

"She is an accomplished pianist who has performed in some of the most famous concert halls all around the world successfully."

(of a person) able to express oneself clearly and effectively

"She is an articulate speaker."

"The articulate speaker expressed her ideas clearly and confidently so everyone in the audience could understand her message easily."

very smart

"My brother is very brainy."

"My brainy sister solved the difficult math problem in just a few minutes easily."

possessing the needed skills or knowledge to do something well

"He is a competent worker."

"The new manager is competent and experienced so the employees feel confident that he will lead the company successfully."

(of a person) ready to argue and often arguing

"He is argumentative."

"The argumentative child disagreed with everything his parents said and always wanted to have the last word in every discussion."

easily annoyed and quick to anger

"My boss is bad-tempered."

"The bad tempered old man yelled at the children for playing ball near his house and threatened to call the police on them."

showing impolite behavior in a manner that is amusing or endearing

"The child was cheeky."

"The little boy gave a cheeky grin after he successfully hid his sister's favorite toy."

doing things or moving in a way that lacks control and care, usually causing accidents

"He is so clumsy."

"The clumsy waiter tripped and spilled a tray of drinks all over the surprised diners."

taking excessive pride in oneself

"She is conceited."

"The conceited actor thought he was better than everyone else and refused to talk to the crew members on the set."

a person who is not brave to do things that other people find unchallenging

"The coward ran away."

"He was called a coward for not standing up to the bully."

slightly strange in behavior, appearance, or ideas

"My uncle is eccentric."

"The eccentric old man wore mismatched socks and a top hat every day and he talked to the pigeons in the park as if they were his friends."

well-known for a bad quality or deed

"He is an infamous criminal."

"The infamous criminal was known around the world for his terrible crimes and the police finally caught him after ten years."

not caring about other people's feelings

"His comment was insensitive."

"His insensitive comment hurt her feelings deeply and he did not even realize why she was upset with him for the rest of the day."

not open to new ideas, opinions, etc.

"He is narrow-minded."

"The narrow-minded professor refused to accept any theory that challenged his own beliefs and he dismissed his students' questions without even considering them."

confident in expressing one's opinions, ideas, or needs in a clear, direct, and respectful manner

"You need to be assertive."

"The assertive young woman asked her boss for a raise confidently and she explained all of her accomplishments without any hesitation or fear."

focusing with interest or concentration

"The waiter is attentive."

"The attentive student listened carefully to the teacher and took detailed notes on everything that was said during the lecture."

(of a person) careful to avoid danger or mistakes

"Be cautious."

"The cautious driver slowed down at every intersection even when the light was green because she had seen too many accidents caused by reckless drivers."

expressing love and care

"My dog is affectionate."

"The affectionate cat rubbed against my legs and purred loudly when I petted her soft fur."

showing kindness and understanding toward others, especially during times of difficulty or suffering

"She is compassionate."

"The compassionate nurse held the hand of the dying patient and spoke to him softly so he would not feel alone in his final moments."

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."

expressing no fear when faced with danger or difficulty

"The firefighter is courageous."

"The courageous firefighter ran into the burning building to save the trapped child and emerged moments later with the scared but unharmed little boy."

displaying calmness and seriousness in a manner that deserves respect

"She looks dignified."

"The dignified old man walked slowly with his head held high and greeted everyone he met with a polite nod."

staying loyal and dedicated to a certain person, idea, group, etc.

"The dog is faithful."

"The faithful dog waited at the train station every day for his owner to return even though the man had died five years ago in a war."

direct and honest in expressing oneself, even if some people might find it unpleasant

"Let me be frank."

"Let me be frank with you about your performance because your work has not been good enough lately."

treating guests or visitors with friendliness, warmth, and generosity

"They are hospitable people."

"The hospitable family invited us to stay for dinner and made us feel welcome in their home."

attempting to deceive other people

"He is duplicitous."

"The duplicitous politician promised to help the poor but then cut funding for social programs after he was elected."

not welcoming or willing to do something because it is undesirable

"I am reluctant to go."

"I am reluctant to lend him money because he never paid me back the last time I helped him out."

someone who keeps dropping things

"She is butterfingers."

"He's such a butterfingers that he's dropped his phone three times this week already."

a person regarded as filthy, morally vile, or contemptible

"That dirtbag lied."

"That dirtbag stole money from his own grandmother to buy drugs and then lied about it."

a person who habitually takes advantage of others' generosity without offering anything in return

"He is a freeloader who never pays for anything."

"Stop being a freeloader and pay for your own meal instead of expecting others to cover you."

someone who behaves in an evil or immoral way

"The wretch acted badly."

"The villain was a cruel wretch who delighted in causing suffering to others."

refusing to accept authority or comply with control

"The unruly children misbehaved."

"The unruly children ran through the museum screaming and touching the exhibits until the security guard asked their parents to take them outside immediately."

having expertise, intelligence, or skills

"I am able to do it."

"I am able to lift fifty pounds but anything heavier than that is too much for my back to handle safely."

able to notice things or think quickly

"Stay alert."

"Stay alert while driving at night because deer often cross the road and can cause serious accidents."

extremely violent and cruel

"The attack was brutal."

"The brutal attack left the victim with broken bones and bruises and the police are still searching for the suspect."

cruel and unkind toward others

"The criticism was harsh."

"The teacher's harsh words made the student cry because she told him that his essay was terrible and that he would never become a good writer."

not open to accept beliefs, opinions, or lifestyles that are unlike one's own

"He is intolerant of mistakes."

"The intolerant customer complained about everything from the temperature of the soup to the slow service."

tending to criticize or form negative opinions about others without considering their perspective or circumstances

"He is judgmental."

"The judgmental neighbor always criticized everyone else's choices and she never considered that other people might have different values or circumstances than her own."

willing to give money, time, or resources to help others, especially those less fortunate

"He is charitable."

"The charitable organization provides food and shelter to homeless people and helps them find jobs and housing."

staying loyal and dedicated to a certain person, idea, group, etc.

"The dog is faithful."

"The faithful dog waited by the door every day for its owner to come home from work."

displaying great bravery as that of a hero or heroine

"His act was heroic."

"The heroic soldier saved his comrades by throwing himself on a grenade and sacrificing his own life to protect them."

showing a happy and playful attitude

"He is a jolly man."

"The jolly old man laughed loudly and gave candy to all the children who came to his door on Halloween night."

acting in a way that is fair, righteous, and morally correct

"He is a just man."

"The judge's verdict was widely considered just and equitable for all parties involved."

a person treacherous, deceitful, or willing to betray others

"He is a snake."

"Be careful, he's a snake who will readily betray his friends for personal gain."

talking or behaving in a way that is rude, disrespectful, or too confident

"Her reply was sassy."

"The teenager gave a sassy response to her mother's request, rolling her eyes dismissively."

a person sneaky, untrustworthy, or likely to betray others

"The weasel betrayed them."

"The politician was known as a weasel because he changed his position whenever it benefited him."