Definition of personalitynext
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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 Gilly’s Enchanting Makeup If Bullock has a more natural, matte makeup look in the sequel, Kidman’s vibe is more whimsical and luminous to juxtapose the personalities of the sisters. Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 10 Sep. 2026 Tanned leather pulls and stainless steel handles give your Hemmes a new personality while staying under budget. Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026 The Times asked five of the on-air personalities who are still working today to look back on the day they were called to cover the tragedy and its lasting impact. Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Together, the look balances out nicely—a monochromatic finish with just a touch of personality. Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for personality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for personality
Noun
  • Taylor Swift has always had a group of celebrity friends, which has changed significantly over the years.
    StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Sports stars, celebrities and business heavyweights could enter from an interior loading dock area to a blue carpet backstage, allowing access into the club without having to navigate the crowds.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Wedding clients perform love instead of living it; her brother, a congressman, disguises his LGBTQ identity to make his political one more palatable; the gentrifiers of her neighborhood trumpet their changes as progress.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The identities of those killed have yet to be determined, al-Masirah satellite news channel cited Saboula as saying.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • To reach the quarterfinals in New York, Zheng had to accept her newfound station in tennis — not to abandon her confidence for the sake of humility, but to combine her natural self-belief with acceptance of her reality and a new perspective.
    Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • To be able to change people's lives through your honesty and your true self is very surreal.
    Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Not only did the boycott fail to keep the company from slapping its Black customers in the face with its Jim Crow costume, but the insult happened with two Black men on the company’s board of directors.
    Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • This much was clear from the insults continually traded between the two sets of fans.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • FRBs are brief but intense blasts of radio waves currently thought to erupt from rapidly rotating dead stars with the universe's strongest magnetic fields, called magnetars.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The star wideout has responded with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • That dichotomy surely reflected, consciously or not on Schubert’s part, the circumstances of his life and contradictions of his character.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Row 34 is exceptional for its updates to New England seafood that revise original classics without losing their character.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
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
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

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Cite this Entry

“Personality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/personality. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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