Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL - Personal Characteristics

Here you will learn some English words about personal characteristics, such as "abusive", "base", "cunning", etc. that are needed for the TOEFL exam.

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abusive [adjective]

treating someone cruelly and violently, especially in a physical or psychological way

Ex: Abusive relationships often involve emotional as well as physical harm .

impudent [adjective]

rude and disrespectful, often toward authority or elders

Ex:

accommodating [adjective]

eager or willing to help others

conceited [adjective]

taking excessive pride in oneself

Ex: Her conceited behavior turned people away , leaving her with few friends .

base [adjective]

completely lacking moral or honorable purpose or character

Ex:

amicable [adjective]

(of interpersonal relations) behaving with friendliness and without disputing

Ex: The negotiations between the two companies were conducted in an amicable atmosphere , leading to a mutually beneficial agreement .

cowardly [adjective]

lacking courage, typically avoiding difficult or dangerous situations

Ex: It was a cowardly decision to avoid the challenge instead of facing it .

diligent [adjective]

steadily persevering with care, precision, or attention to detail

Ex: His diligent proofreading caught several subtle errors .

boastful [adjective]

showing excessive self-satisfaction in one's accomplishments, possessions, or capabilities

Ex: The athlete ’s boastful recounting of his championship victory overshadowed the team ’s collective effort .

assiduous [adjective]

working very hard and with careful attention to detail so that everything is done as well as possible

Ex: They admired his assiduous approach to solving complex problems .

cunning [adjective]

able to achieve what one wants through sly or underhanded means

Ex: The cunning thief managed to pickpocket several wallets from unsuspecting tourists in the crowded market .

depraved [adjective]

exhibiting extreme moral corruption or twisted values, often reflecting profound wickedness

Ex: The depraved practices in the abandoned building were a stark reminder of humanity ’s capacity for cruelty .

diabolical [adjective]

tremendously wicked or evil, just like the Devil

Ex: The movie ’s antagonist was portrayed as a diabolical figure with no remorse .

ingenuous [adjective]

showing simplicity, honesty, or innocence and willing to trust others due to a lack of life experience

Ex: He was taken advantage of due to his ingenuous nature .

sluggish [adjective]

moving, reacting, or functioning more slowly than usual

Ex: The engine was sluggish in the cold weather .

agile [adjective]

able to move quickly and easily

Ex: The agile gymnast executed flips and somersaults with precision .

tactful [adjective]

careful not to make anyone upset or annoyed

Ex: When discussing sensitive topics , it 's essential to be tactful to maintain harmony in the conversation .

zealous [adjective]

showing impressive commitment and enthusiasm for something

Ex: The zealous supporters cheered loudly throughout the entire event .

rational [adjective]

(of a person) avoiding emotions and taking logic into account when making decisions

Ex: A rational person will analyze the pros and cons before taking action .

naive [adjective]

lacking experience and wisdom due to being young

Ex: The naive teenager fell for the scam , unaware of the deception behind the enticing offer .

simple-minded [adjective]

(of a person) not intelligent and unable to comprehend complicated matters

Ex: The simple-minded approach to the issue did n't solve anything .

narrow-minded [adjective]

not open to new ideas, opinions, etc.

Ex: Growing up in a narrow-minded community , she often felt like she did n't belong .

egocentric [adjective]

thinking only about oneself, not about other people's needs or desires

Ex: Her egocentric attitude often prevented her from seeing others ' points of view .

adept [adjective]

highly skilled, proficient, or talented in a particular activity or field

Ex: The adept architect seamlessly blends functionality with aesthetic appeal in their designs .

conscientious [adjective]

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

Ex: The conscientious decision to recycle and reduce waste reflects her commitment to environmental responsibility .

mischievous [adjective]

enjoying causing trouble or playfully misbehaving, often in a harmless way

Ex: The dog 's mischievous behavior led to him knocking over the trash can .

presumptuous [adjective]

failing to respect boundaries, doing something despite having no right in doing so

Ex: He found it presumptuous that she criticized his work without knowing the details .

fickle [adjective]

(of a person) likely to change their mind or feelings in a senseless manner too frequently

Ex: His fickle attitude towards relationships left many of his partners feeling confused and hurt .

obstinate [adjective]

stubborn and unwilling to change one's behaviors, opinions, views, etc. despite other people's reasoning and persuasion

Ex:

courteous [adjective]

behaving with politeness and respect

Ex: He responded to the complaint with a courteous and thoughtful reply .

domineering [adjective]

showing a tendency to have control over others without taking their emotions into account

Ex: The manager 's domineering style of leadership stifled creativity and innovation among the team members .

benevolent [adjective]

showing kindness and generosity

Ex: Her benevolent nature led her to volunteer at the orphanage every weekend .

gallant [adjective]

(of a man or his manners) behaving with courtesy and politeness toward women

Ex: Despite the rain , he shielded her with his umbrella in a gallant display of chivalry .

shallow [adjective]

lacking depth of character, seriousness, mindful thinking, or real understanding

Ex: She realized he was too shallow to understand her deeper emotions and thoughts .

sophisticated [adjective]

having refined taste, elegance, and knowledge of complex matters

Ex: The sophisticated woman always dressed impeccably and had a commanding presence .

neurotic [adjective]

experiencing significant emotional instability or anxiety

Ex: The stress made her neurotic and irritable .

rambunctious [adjective]

loud, energetic, and hard to control, often in a playful or wild way

Ex: The party grew more rambunctious as the night went on .

virtuous [adjective]

having or showing high moral standards

Ex: It 's important to surround yourself with virtuous friends who inspire you to do good .

quick-witted [adjective]

able to respond or react quickly and cleverly, especially in conversation or situations requiring immediate thought

Ex: The quick-witted detective was able to solve the case with his sharp insights .

aloof [adjective]

unfriendly or reluctant to socializing

Ex: The cat , known for its aloof nature , preferred to keep to itself and avoided human interaction .

Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL
Human Anatomy	Biology	Engineering and Electronics	Architecture
Mathematics and Measurement	The Computer World	Physics and Chemistry	Experimentation
Time and Space	History	Physical Appearance	The Fashion World
Language and Grammar	Communication	Transportation	Art
Literature and Writing	The Entertainment Industry	News and Journalism	Education
Feelings and Emotions	Advice and Decision	Personal Characteristics	Shapes
The Animal Kingdom	Food and Restaurant	Healthcare and Medicine	Physical Conditions and Injuries
Mental Health and Disorders	Politics	Religion	Hatred or Affection
The Law	Doubt and Certainty	Crime and Punishment	Society
Social Problems	Argumentation	Persuasion and Agreement	Preference, Obligation, and Permission
Sports	Shopping	Money and Business	Professional Life and Occupations
Natural Phenomena and Environment	Farming and Vegetation	I Think, Therefore I Am!