Personality & Character — C1 Essential Words

trait /treɪt/ noun C1 Personality

Meaning: A particular quality in someone's character, such as honesty or patience.

Example: Patience is her best trait.

Another example: Curiosity is a trait of good scientists.

Collocations: personality trait · character trait · positive trait

Synonyms: quality, characteristic, feature

Word family: traits (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Trait is the psychology word for a lasting quality; a mood is temporary, a trait endures.

🗣 In spoken American English: Interviews ask for them in code: 'Name a trait you'd improve.'

Register: Formal — psychology and interviews.

stubborn /ˈstʌbərn/ adjective C1 Personality

Meaning: Determined not to change your mind or attitude, even when others think you are wrong.

Example: He's too stubborn to ask for help.

Another example: The stubborn door refused to open.

Collocations: too stubborn to · stubborn refusal · stubbornly refuse

Synonyms: obstinate, headstrong, determined (positive twin)

Antonyms: flexible, obedient, open-minded

Word family: stubbornly (adv) · stubbornness (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Stubborn is determination with a negative judgment; 'determined' is the same behavior praised. Objects can be stubbornly stuck too.

🗣 In spoken American English: Parents negotiate with it daily: 'He gets his stubborn streak from his grandfather.'

Register: Neutral — character essential.

modest /ˈmɒdɪst/ adjective C1 Personality

Meaning: Not talking proudly about your abilities or achievements; also fairly small in size or amount.

Example: Despite her fame, she stays modest about her work.

Another example: They live on a modest income.

Collocations: modest about · modest income · modest success

Synonyms: humble, unassuming, moderate

Antonyms: arrogant, boastful, huge

Word family: modestly (adv) · modesty (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Two lives: character (doesn't brag) and size (a modest raise = small). Fix the typo-prone pair: modest vs modern.

🗣 In spoken American English: American culture praises the mix: achieve greatly, speak modestly.

Register: Neutral — character and formal writing.

arrogant /ˈærəɡənt/ adjective C1 Personality

Meaning: Behaving as if you are better and more important than everyone else.

Example: The arrogant manager never listened to the team.

Another example: His arrogant tone cost him the job.

Collocations: arrogant attitude · arrogant about · sound arrogant

Synonyms: proud (negative), haughty, superior

Antonyms: humble, modest

Word family: arrogance (n) · arrogantly (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: Confidence says 'I can'; arrogance says 'I'm better than you'. The noun is arrogance — a career-limiting word.

🗣 In spoken American English: Interviews fail on perceived arrogance more than on weak skills.

Register: Neutral — character judgment word.

tolerant /ˈtɒlərənt/ adjective C1 Personality

Meaning: Willing to accept beliefs and behavior different from your own without judging them harshly.

Example: A tolerant society respects many faiths.

Another example: She is tolerant of different opinions in class.

Collocations: tolerant of · tolerant society · grow tolerant

Synonyms: accepting, open-minded, patient

Antonyms: intolerant, prejudiced

Word family: tolerance (n) · tolerate (v)

⚠ Common mistake: Tolerant OF differences. The verb tolerate also means endure ('can't tolerate noise') — character vs patience, context decides.

🗣 In spoken American English: Diversity statements lean on it: 'a tolerant workplace'.

Register: Formal — society and values.

integrity /ɪnˈteɡrəti/ noun C1 Personality

Meaning: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, even when it is difficult.

Example: The judge is famous for her integrity.

Another example: He kept his integrity and refused the bribe.

Collocations: personal integrity · integrity in · question his integrity

Synonyms: honesty, honor, uprightness

Antonyms: dishonesty, corruption

Word family: integrity (uncountable)

⚠ Common mistake: Integrity is uncountable and total — you don't have 'an integrity'. It also means wholeness in engineering ('structural integrity').

🗣 In spoken American English: The interview gold word: companies say they hire for integrity first.

Register: Formal — ethics core.

charisma /kəˈrɪzmə/ noun C1 Personality

Meaning: A natural personal quality that attracts and influences other people.

Example: The young mayor has real charisma.

Another example: Charisma filled the room before he spoke a word.

Collocations: natural charisma · charisma and charm · leader's charisma

Synonyms: charm, magnetism, presence

Word family: charismatic (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Charisma is uncountable; the adjective charismatic describes speakers and leaders constantly in media.

🗣 In spoken American English: Debate nights are judged on it: policy matters, charisma wins cameras.

Register: Neutral to formal — leadership talk.

humility /hjuːˈmɪləti/ noun C1 Personality

Meaning: The quality of not thinking you are more important than others; modesty in attitude.

Example: Her humility surprised people who expected a star's ego.

Another example: Humility helps leaders keep learning.

Collocations: show humility · humility in victory · with humility

Synonyms: modesty, humbleness

Antonyms: arrogance, pride (negative)

Word family: humble (adj) · humbly (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: Humility is the noun; humble is the adjective. It is strength under control, not weakness.

🗣 In spoken American English: Award speeches script it: 'With humility, I accept…'

Register: Formal — character and speeches.

ambitious /æmˈbɪʃəs/ adjective C1 Personality

Meaning: Having a strong desire to succeed, achieve power, or complete something difficult.

Example: She is ambitious and plans to run her own studio.

Another example: The city has an ambitious plan for green transport.

Collocations: ambitious plan · ambitious goals · highly ambitious

Synonyms: driven, aspiring, determined

Antonyms: unambitious, lazy

Word family: ambition (n) · ambitiously (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: In the US, ambitious is usually a COMPLIMENT; plans can be ambitious too (big and difficult). The noun is ambition.

🗣 In spoken American English: Interviews reward it: 'ambitious but patient' is the polished self-description.

Register: Neutral — career character word.

sincere /sɪnˈsɪər/ adjective C1 Personality

Meaning: Truly meaning what you say or feel; honest and without pretense.

Example: Please accept my sincere thanks.

Another example: He gave a sincere apology.

Collocations: sincere thanks · sincere apology · sincere belief

Synonyms: genuine, honest, heartfelt

Antonyms: insincere, fake

Word family: sincerely (adv) · sincerity (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Letters close with its adverb: 'Sincerely, …' — the standard formal ending in American mail and email.

🗣 In spoken American English: Apologies are measured by it: people ask, 'Was he sincere?'

Register: Neutral to formal — letters and character.