PERSONALITY Synonyms: 154 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'personality' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of personality are character , disposition , temperament , and temper . While all these words mean "the dominant quality or qualities distinguishing a person or group," personality applies to an aggregate of qualities that distinguish one as a person. // a somber personality

Q: When is it sensible to use 'character' instead of 'personality'?

Although the words character and personality have much in common, character applies to the aggregate of moral qualities by which a person is judged apart from intelligence, competence, or special talents. // strength of character

Q: In what contexts can 'disposition' take the place of 'personality'?

In some situations, the words disposition and personality are roughly equivalent. However, disposition implies customary moods and attitude toward the life around one. // a cheerful disposition

Q: When would 'temper' be a good substitute for 'personality'?

While in some cases nearly identical to personality , temper implies the qualities acquired through experience that determine how a person or group meets difficulties or handles situations. // a resilient temper

Q: When is 'temperament' a more appropriate choice than 'personality'?

The words temperament and personality can be used in similar contexts, but temperament implies a pattern of innate characteristics associated with one's specific physical and nervous organization. // an artistic temperament

personality

noun

ˌpər-sə-ˈna-lə-tē

Definition of personality

as in celebrity

a person who is widely known and usually much talked about a local television personality who is beloved by area residents

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in identity

the set of qualities that make a person different from other people she's got a great personality

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in self

the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others it has never been in the nation's personality to adhere to a rigid class system

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as in insult

an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings every debate that was supposedly about the issues quickly degenerated into a juvenile exchange of personalities

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word personality distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of personality are character, disposition, temperament, and temper. While all these words mean "the dominant quality or qualities distinguishing a person or group," personality applies to an aggregate of qualities that distinguish one as a person.

a somber personality

When is it sensible to use character instead of personality?

Although the words character and personality have much in common, character applies to the aggregate of moral qualities by which a person is judged apart from intelligence, competence, or special talents.

strength of character

In what contexts can disposition take the place of personality?

In some situations, the words disposition and personality are roughly equivalent. However, disposition implies customary moods and attitude toward the life around one.

a cheerful disposition

When would temper be a good substitute for personality?

While in some cases nearly identical to personality, temper implies the qualities acquired through experience that determine how a person or group meets difficulties or handles situations.

a resilient temper

When is temperament a more appropriate choice than personality?

The words temperament and personality can be used in similar contexts, but temperament implies a pattern of innate characteristics associated with one's specific physical and nervous organization.

an artistic temperament

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of personality Cinematic pretense and the kinds political leaders and media personalities use to sell ideas are often one and the same. — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026 Had the property lasted longer, Harris would have been one of the personalities contributing to it. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 Chiloé is where Hudsonian godwits spend their non-breeding season and express their non-breeding personality, which is intensely gregarious and food-oriented. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Prior to appearing this summer on Big Brother — where Drew is part of the final seven and enjoying games of footsie with Melody Morris — the hair-raising personality had appeared on multiple reality and game shows. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for personality

Recent Examples of Synonyms for personality

Noun

Talent is genetic for some of these Dancing with the Stars celebrity contestants.

— Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
View this post on Instagram Participants even include such celebrity magnets as Bad Bunny’s Asian clubstaurant Gekko (Brickell) coastal-Italian gem Casadonna (Edgewater) and fancy steakhouse Daniel’s (Coral Gables).

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of celebrity

Noun

There’s a lot about the incident that Palo Alto couldn’t disclose — or doesn’t even know — including the specific company that was targeted, the identity of the human hacker, and what AI models were used.

— J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Its claim to the archipelago, roughly 300 miles off its coast, is enshrined in the constitution and woven into national identity, drawing support across the country’s political divisions.

— Sergio Farella, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of identity

Noun

When Russians discovered karaoke, thousands of venues sprang up, from cheap sushi joints to lavish establishments where an orchestra and backup singers accompanied anyone willing to step onto the stage and, for a few minutes, feel like a star.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Its star Matthew Rhys made history, winning two Leading categories in Comedy and Drama for Netflix’s The Beast in Me.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of star

Noun

However, the irregular architecture, surviving wooden beams, and 15th-century chapel lend certain spaces genuine local character.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Those scenes play as if the screenwriters gave up on trying to resolve the twisty plot, instead just making their characters tell all, leaving the film’s denouement much less engrossing than its setup.

— Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of character

Noun

But the high-end talent in Atlanta’s farm system isn’t quite ready for the majors, especially given the plug-and-play nature of the starting lineup.

— Andy McCullough, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Through all of the animosity from the crowd, one that Matthews noted as particularly hostile, the up-and-down nature of the game and the spotlight Chesney brought to his team, the players appeared to be collected and poised.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of nature

Noun

As Troy, his signature wide-eyed, guileless delivery of sarcasm is a first line of defense that softens as his understanding of the Russian people, including his companion, grows.

— Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
The other presidents had some semblance of comedic appreciation, whether through cynicism, irony, sarcasm, joke-telling, joke appreciation or storytelling.

— John Blumenthal, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of sarcasm

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“Personality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/personality. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of personality

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