Our personalities largely make up who we are as persons, and how we are perceived by others around us. Personality traits are specific characteristics that a person may have which together form a personality. They can be both positive and negative, although judgment of that can be a matter of opinion. Here is a list of common personality traits and how they are typically being judged.
List of Personality Traits | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Positive | Negative | ||||||||
accepts what’s given | ignores, rejects what’s given | ||||||||
affectionate | distant, cold, aloof | ||||||||
Ambitious, motivated | self-satisfied, unmotivated | ||||||||
aspiring | self-satisfied | ||||||||
candid | closed, guarded, secretive | ||||||||
caring | uncaring, unfeeling, callous | ||||||||
change; accepts, embraces it | rejects change | ||||||||
cheerful | cheerless, gloomy, sour, grumpy | ||||||||
considerate, thoughtful | inconsiderate, thoughtless | ||||||||
cooperative | uncooperative, unhelpful, combative | ||||||||
courageous | cowering, fearful | ||||||||
courteous | rude, impolite | ||||||||
decisive | indecisive | ||||||||
devoted | uncommitted, uncaring, hostile | ||||||||
determined | indecisive, unsure | ||||||||
does what is necessary, right | does what is convenient | ||||||||
perseveres, endures | relents, gives up | ||||||||
enthusiastic | unenthusiastic, apathetic, indifferent | ||||||||
expansive | kept back, tight, constricting | ||||||||
faith in life | life can’t be trusted | ||||||||
faith in oneself | lack of faith in self | ||||||||
faith in others | others can’t be relied on | ||||||||
flexible | inflexible, rigid, unbending, stubborn | ||||||||
forgiving | unforgiving, resentful, spiteful | ||||||||
focused | unfocused, scattered | ||||||||
freedom given to others | authoritarian, controlling | ||||||||
friendly | unfriendly, distant, aloof, hostile | ||||||||
frugal, thrifty | Wasteful, spendthrift | ||||||||
generous | stingy, miserly, selfish | ||||||||
goodwill | ill-will, malice, hatred | ||||||||
grateful | ungrateful, unappreciative | ||||||||
hard-working | lazy | ||||||||
honest | dishonest, deceiving, lying | ||||||||
humble | arrogant, conceited, ego-centric | ||||||||
interested | indifferent, uncaring | ||||||||
involved | complacent, indifferent | ||||||||
jealous, not | jealous, envious, covetous | ||||||||
kind | unkind, uncaring, cruel, mean | ||||||||
mature | immature | ||||||||
modest | vain | ||||||||
open-minded, tolerant | narrow, close, small-minded, intolerant | ||||||||
optimistic | pessimistic | ||||||||
perfects | allows imperfection | ||||||||
persistent, sustaining | flagging, fleeting, unsustaining | ||||||||
practical | impractical, not viable | ||||||||
punctual | late, not on time | ||||||||
realistic | naïve, impractical | ||||||||
reliable | unreliable, undependable | ||||||||
respectful | disrespectful, rude, impolite | ||||||||
responsibility, takes | blames others | ||||||||
responsible | unreliable, undependable | ||||||||
responsive | unresponsive, unreceptive | ||||||||
self-confident | lack of self confidence, insecure | ||||||||
self-directed | directed by externals | ||||||||
self-disciplined | undisciplined, unrestrained, indulgent | ||||||||
self-esteem, high | self-esteem, confidence – low | ||||||||
self-giving | self-centered | ||||||||
self-reliant | dependent | ||||||||
selfless | selfish | ||||||||
sensitive | Insensitive, indifferent | ||||||||
serious | silly, trivial, petty | ||||||||
sincere | insincere, dishonest | ||||||||
social independence | social approval required | ||||||||
sympathetic | unsympathetic, unfeeling | ||||||||
systematic | unsystematic, disorganized, disorderly, random | ||||||||
open minded, willing to consider other opinions | closed minded, insists on own view | ||||||||
thoughtful towards others | thoughtless, inconsiderate, callous | ||||||||
trusting | suspicious, mistrusting | ||||||||
unpretentious | pretentious, affected, ostentatious | ||||||||
unselfish | selfish | ||||||||
willing does, willingness | stubborn, unwilling, reluctant | ||||||||
work comes first | convenience first |
Thinking of a character traits’ antonym can be a little hard to grasp, but this list makes it easy 🙂
I really like this site it helps alot when you need it!
It’s just what you need when writing a biography!!
Rebellious should not be a negitive trait.
Such a long list, but helped a lot!
If social independence is a positive trait, as opposed to the need for social approval, why is “takes others point of view” also a positive trait, since retaining your own view is a form of social independence?
If this characteristic was meant to describe ones empathetic ability, say it in such a way as to express that more clearly.
Christina, I’ve changed it to “open minded, willing to consider other opinions” vs. “closed minded, insists on own view” to be more clear.
Being willing to consider other opinions is good, but doesn’t necessarily lead to changing of your views to those of others. Steadfastly insisting on own view without even considering others opinions, on the other hand, is bad.
I hope that sounds better.
Although you don’t explicitly state it, I feel like you are suggesting people cannot develop these skills and you either have them or don’t inherently. Is this what you are suggesting? What would you recommend someone do to due to develop these characteristics otherwise?