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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Dupré went on to marry and have three kids with Earle’s father, and be a devoted stepmom to the TikTok personality and her younger sister Ashtin, 23. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026 Television personality Jason Sudeikis, who has been honored with Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards, is this year’s Community Champion. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026 Their clear ideological viewpoints, brands, and the willingness of most of their personalities to stick around have insulated networks like Fox News and MS NOW from the sharp decline in viewership eating away at much of the rest of cable television. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026 The enneagram is a personality typology that's been gaining more attention recently, from being featured on Amy Poehler's podcast to being talked about on TikTok and other social media platforms. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for personality

Recent Examples of Synonyms for personality

Noun

In the time since her sudden death, celebrities publicly mourning include Viola Davis, Selma Blair, and Rosie O’Donnell.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
But that enchantment began long before the beach clubs and celebrity sightings.

— Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of celebrity

Noun

Portkey monetizes observability, Kong sells a broader API platform, and LiteLLM can be self-hosted.

— Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
With fatter paychecks, customers are rebelling against the chains that serve up shrinkflation and replace workers with broken self-checkout machines and touchscreen kiosks.

— Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of self

Noun

Whether that’s a compliment or an insult depends on your perspective.

— Omar Kelly August 17, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026
The Fantasy Football Draft is that magical stretch of hours where friends, enemies and division nemesis all cram into one room to sling insults with the confidence of seasoned analysts.

— Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of insult

Noun

The one-time child star had spoken openly about navigating addiction and postpartum depression in her adult life, documenting those struggles as well as the painful loss of her brother in a memoir released this year.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
In the book, the star detailed her prolific and sometimes difficult career in show business; growing up under the harsh light of Hollywood; and the highs and lows of filming hit TV shows like Heroes and Nashville, and more.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of star

Noun

And magically, the architects and designers have achieved this without compromising its unique character.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Captivated by the unknown, meeting characters as elusive as those in a Homer epic, Niaz sets in motion an irreversible process of self-transformation.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of character

Noun

His clubhouse presence and offensive output have carried the Nats thus far, and if the decision goes awry, both could be disrupted by the public nature of the in-season move.

— Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
The unusual nature of the case has attracted national attention and debate.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of nature

Noun

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
Like all of Roth’s content, there is a mix of dead seriousness, dry sarcasm, and wondrous joy in equal measure.

— Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of sarcasm

Cite this Entry

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“Personality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/personality. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of personality

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