Unpleasant Traits: English Vocabulary List

used to refer to an extremely angry or impatient person

"She was cross as two sticks."

"My father was as cross as two sticks when he discovered that someone had scratched his brand-new car in the parking lot."

used to describe someone who is extra careful about spending little amounts of money but has no problem with spending large amounts

"Buying cheap shoes is penny wise and pound foolish."

"The company is penny wise and pound foolish because it saves money on cheap materials but loses customers due to poor quality."

someone who does not express emotions and is considered unfriendly

"He's a cold fish."

"My new boss is a bit of a cold fish, rarely showing any enthusiasm or warmth during meetings."

a person who is difficult, unpleasant, or extraordinary in behavior

"She is a difficult piece of work."

"That new manager is a difficult piece of work and nobody enjoys working with him."

used to refer to someone who is extremely unsympathetic and does not express strong emotions

"His eyes were cold as stone."

"The judge remained as cold as stone throughout the trial, showing absolutely no emotion regardless of what the witnesses said."

someone who selfishly prevents others from using or enjoying something that they themselves have no use for

"He's a dog in manger."

"The old man was a dog in the manger who refused to sell his empty house to the young family who needed it."

in a state affected with madness or insanity

"You are off your rocker."

"You must be off your rocker if you think I am going to lend you money again after what happened last time."

(of a person) crazy or exhibiting odd behavior

"My uncle is nutty as fruitcake."

"His constant theories about aliens made everyone think he was as nutty as a fruitcake."

a person who has lost their sanity, often momentarily

"The journalist is a loose cannon."

"The journalist is a loose cannon and his unpredictable reporting has gotten the network into legal trouble."

used to refer to someone who always thinks or talks in a way that is exaggerated and not based on reality

"Her geese are swans."

"She thinks everything her children do is perfect; all her geese are swans, and she cannot see their flaws."

used to refer to someone who tends to achieve things in a clever way, particularly by deceiving other people

"She is as cunning as a fox."

"The businessman was as cunning as a fox when he negotiated the deal with his competitors."

used to refer to a deceitful and untrustworthy person who cannot be easily caught or exposed

"He is very slippery."

"The politician was as slippery as an eel, always avoiding direct answers during the interview."

not true, real, or genuine

"That story sounds phony as a three-dollar bill."

"The so-called expert turned out to be as counterfeit as a three-dollar bill, with no real qualifications or experience whatsoever."

an unconventional or unique behavior that is often considered crazy, risky, or confusing

"My uncle has bats in the belfry, but he is harmless."

"My crazy uncle has bats in the belfry because he believes aliens are watching him from space."

used to refer to someone who is in a very chaotic state of mind and is behaving very abnormally

"He is mad as hatter."

"After working three shifts without sleep, my colleague was as mad as a March hare, talking nonsense and laughing at absolutely nothing."

to change one's opinions about something often and quickly, sometimes being enthusiastic and other times indifferent or negative

"He blows hot and cold about moving."

"He blows hot and cold about moving to a new city one day he loves the idea the next he hates it."

the inherent characteristics or qualities of a particular situation, person, or thing, often referring to traits that are difficult to change or control

"Late trains are the nature of the beast."

"You cannot expect him to be gentle because being aggressive is just the nature of the beast with him."

so extreme and strict in one's adherence to a set of rules, norms, behaviors, etc. that it exeeds what is considered usual

"She's holier than Pope."

"The religious leader acted holier than the Pope but was secretly involved in a corruption scandal."

someone who is not considered honest, trustworthy, or a good person in general

"The criminal is a bad egg."

"The criminal is a bad egg and the judge gave him the maximum sentence for his crimes."

used to refer to someone who is so stressed, angry, or confused that they are unable to behave normally or make any logical decisions

"You are out of your mind if you think that works."

"You must be out of your mind if you think I am going to lend you more money again."

a person who is considered to be completely worthless or useless and is viewed as a burden or waste of space

"He's a waste of skin."

"The lazy employee was a complete waste of skin who contributed nothing to the team or the company."

used to refer to the act of doing something as fast as one can

"Fast as dog lick."

"The children ate all the cookies as quick as a dog can lick a dish, leaving nothing for the guests who arrived later."

a person who has a tendency to behave badly and cause trouble for others

"He is a rotten egg."

"The group leader realized he was the rotten egg, constantly spreading negativity and discord."

(of a person) extremely unreasonable, or mentally ill

"She is out of her mind."

"The driver's erratic behavior suggested he was completely out of his mind on the busy highway."

(of a person) not keeping up with current trends, ideas, or advancements

"My dad's music taste is behind the times."

"My grandfather is behind the times because he still uses an old flip phone and refuses to get a smartphone."