Social and Moral Behaviors · C2 English Vocabulary List

having rude or disrespectful manners

"His manners are boorish."

"His boorish manners embarrassed everyone at the dinner party because he talked loudly with his mouth full and belched without apologizing."

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."

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."

(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."

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."

(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."

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."

behaving in a cruel or uncivilized manner

"The punishment is barbaric."

"The barbaric practice of cutting off thieves hands was used in some ancient societies but modern laws consider such punishments cruel and unusual."

believing that one deserves special privileges or treatment without necessarily earning or deserving them

"He feels entitled to praise."

"The entitled customer demanded to speak to the manager because his coffee was not hot enough and he wanted a free replacement."

acting in a way that is different from what one claims to believe or value

"His behavior is hypocritical."

"The hypocritical politician preached about honesty while secretly lying to his constituents and taking bribes from corporations."

having no moral principles and willing to do anything to achieve one's goals

"The lawyer is unscrupulous."

"The unscrupulous businessman cheated his partners out of millions of dollars and he fled the country before the police could arrest him."

having or showing a strong desire to harm others

"The spirit is malevolent."

"The malevolent villain laughed cruelly as he revealed his evil plan to destroy the city and take control of the world."

extremely evil or shockingly wicked in a way that deeply disturbs or offends

"The crime is heinous."

"The heinous crime shocked the entire community and people demanded that the murderer receive the harshest possible punishment under the law."

behaving in a way that makes others feel inferior or belittled

"Her tone is condescending."

"The condescending manager spoke to his employees as if they were children and everyone resented his arrogant and patronizing attitude."

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."

able to utilize language to convey something well, especially in a persuasive manner

"He is eloquent speaker."

"The eloquent speaker moved the audience to tears with her powerful words and everyone gave her a standing ovation at the end."

the quality of being reserved or quiet in one's communication with others

"Her reticence was noticeable."

"The witness's unusual reticence raised suspicions during the high-profile criminal investigation immediately."

to behave in a way that lowers the dignity or respect of oneself or others

"His rude remarks demeaned his coworkers."

"His boss would constantly demean him by calling him stupid in front of other employees which made him feel worthless and humiliated every single day."

a behavior that is considered abnormal and uncommon

"His eccentricity was charming."

"His most noticeable eccentricity was wearing a bow tie and top hat everywhere he went in public."

a doubtful view toward others' honesty or intentions

"His cynicism showed distrust."

"Her constant cynicism about people's motives made her seem unfriendly."

acting in response to a situation rather than initiating or controlling it

"Don't be reactive; be proactive."

"The reactive approach to the crisis meant that they only solved problems after they happened instead of preventing them ahead of time."

(of people) delighted by the company of others

"He is a gregarious person."

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

inclined to argue or provoke disagreement

"The issue is contentious."

"The issue is contentious and people on both sides feel very strongly about their position."

intensely cruel or violent

"The crime was atrocious."

"The dictator's regime was responsible for a series of atrocious acts against its own citizens."

inclined to deceive or betray others for personal gain or advantage

"He is a treacherous man."

"The seemingly friendly business partner turned out to be treacherous, stealing clients and confidential information."

having a strong desire to harm others

"She is vindictive."

"The vindictive ex employee hacked into the company's computer system and deleted important files because he wanted to get revenge for being fired unfairly."

acting in accordance with one's conscience and sense of duty

"She is conscientious worker."

"The conscientious student always completed her homework on time and she double checked every answer before submitting her assignments to the teacher."

having a positive attitude toward someone or something

"He has an indulgent grandmother."

"The indulgent grandmother gave her grandchildren candy and toys every time they visited even when their parents said no."