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: The company implemented strict policies to prevent abusive conduct in the workplace .

impudent

[Adjective]

rude and disrespectful, often toward authority or elders

Ex: She found his impudent attitude hard to tolerate .

accommodating

[Adjective]

eager or willing to help others

conceited

[Adjective]

taking excessive pride in oneself

Ex: Her conceited remarks about her appearance grated on her friends ' nerves .

base

[Adjective]

completely lacking moral or honorable purpose or character

Ex: The company's decision to cut corners for profit was seen as base by many.

amicable

[Adjective]

(of interpersonal relations) behaving with friendliness and without disputing

Ex: Despite the competitive nature of the game , the players maintained an amicable attitude towards each other throughout .

cowardly

[Adjective]

lacking courage, typically avoiding difficult or dangerous situations

Ex: She felt ashamed of her cowardly refusal to speak out.

diligent

[Adjective]

having dedicating or making great effort for one's work

boastful

[Adjective]

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

Ex: Despite his boastful claims , it was clear that his actual contributions were minimal compared to his talk .

assiduous

[Adjective]

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

Ex: She approached the task with an assiduous focus that impressed her supervisors .

cunning

[Adjective]

able to achieve what one wants through sly or underhanded means

Ex: The cunning politician employed subtle rhetoric and persuasion to win over undecided voters .

depraved

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The depraved elements of the crime scene hinted at a level of evil beyond ordinary understanding .

diabolical

[Adjective]

tremendously wicked or evil, just like the Devil

Ex: His diabolical manipulation of others left a trail of devastation .

ingenuous

[Adjective]

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

Ex: His ingenuous belief in fairy tales persisted well into adulthood .

sluggish

[Adjective]

moving, responding, or functioning at a slow pace

Ex: The sluggish stream barely moved , choked with debris after the storm .

agile

[Adjective]

able to move quickly and easily

Ex: The agile robot maneuvered smoothly through the obstacle course .

tactful

[Adjective]

careful not to make anyone upset or annoyed

Ex: In social settings , she was tactful in steering conversations away from controversial topics to keep the atmosphere pleasant .

zealous

[Adjective]

showing impressive commitment and enthusiasm for something

Ex: His zealous dedication to the cause inspired many to take action .

rational

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The rational thinker prefers facts over assumptions when making judgments .

naive

[Adjective]

lacking experience and wisdom due to being young

Ex: His naive optimism about the future was endearing , but sometimes unrealistic given the harsh realities of life .

simple-minded

[Adjective]

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

Ex: Despite being kind , she was simple-minded and easily confused .

narrow-minded

[Adjective]

not open to new ideas, opinions, etc.

Ex: Her narrow-minded parents disapproved of her unconventional career choice .

egocentric

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The novel 's protagonist is an egocentric artist who only paints self-portraits .

adept

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The adept athlete excels in multiple sports , demonstrating agility and strength .

conscientious

[Adjective]

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

Ex: In any profession , a conscientious attitude leads to greater trust and respect from peers and clients alike .

mischievous

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The mischievous squirrel stole food from the picnic table .

presumptuous

[Adjective]

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

Ex: She felt it was presumptuous of him to assume she would join the team without asking first .

fickle

[Adjective]

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

Ex: Despite his promises , his fickle loyalty meant he could not be relied upon when times got tough .

obstinate

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The negotiators were frustrated by the obstinate refusal of the other party to compromise on any point.

courteous

[Adjective]

behaving with politeness and respect

Ex: He always remains courteous, even when dealing with difficult customers .

domineering

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The domineering mother-in-law constantly interfered in her son 's marriage , causing tension and resentment between the couple .

benevolent

[Adjective]

showing kindness and generosity

Ex: The charity was supported by a benevolent donor who wished to remain anonymous .

gallant

[Adjective]

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

Ex: His gallant behavior towards women earned him the admiration of his peers .

shallow

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The book had an intriguing premise , but the characters felt shallow and undeveloped .

sophisticated

[Adjective]

having refined taste, elegance, and knowledge of complex matters

Ex: The sophisticated diplomat navigated the complex negotiations with ease .

neurotic

[Adjective]

not behaving in a reasonable, and calm way, either because of being worried about something or because of having a mental illness

rambunctious

[Adjective]

uncontrollably energetic, animated, and noisy

virtuous

[Adjective]

having or showing high moral standards

Ex: The teacher praised the student for displaying virtuous behavior towards their classmates .

quick-witted

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The quick-witted host kept the talk show moving smoothly , engaging both the guests and the audience .

aloof

[Adjective]

unfriendly or reluctant to socializing

Ex: The new student remained aloof on the first day of school , making it challenging for others to approach her .

Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL

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Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL - Personal Characteristics