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 Over the weekend, popular TikTok personality Jordan Howlett, aka @Jordan_The_Stallion, posted a video of himself trying Kansas City staple Fritz’s for what appeared to be the first time. — Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026 How much of your actual personalities is in these characters? — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 Partita demonstrates what happens to this first-person narrative technique when the personality isn’t there. — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026 Stubb’s biography, personality and vision have earned him a sizable and influential global audience. — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for personality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for personality
Noun
  • Florence Pugh, Mariska Hargitay, Hudson Williams, Josh Gad and more celebrities have used their platforms to condemn the case in recent weeks.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Embassies, banks, and big-name retailers share the neighborhood with this member of The Leading Hotels of the World, whose guest list includes big celebrities and diplomats.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Quiet luxury, by invitation Fortune previously reported affluent Gen Z and millennials were prioritizing experiences, wellness, and identity over traditional luxury possessions.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Much of Bread & Butter was made with reverence for the path Droog’s taken, from his early days of mistaken identity to rhyming with Madlib on The Tonight Show.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Sometimes, customer expectation drives circularity, as in the case of Cotopaxi, which recently released a set of hard-side suitcases specifically engineered for easy, at-home self-repair.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike Sabyasachi and Rahul Mishra, Gaurav Gupta is entirely self-funded.
    — Sujata Assomull, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • A lot of that is studying how dry bone, fresh bone, bone that is exposed to different types of forces will react to different types of insults.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Still, Nintendo understands, more than most of its rivals, that family-friendly gaming doesn’t have to be an insult.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And the pop star has been collecting some major co-signs along the way.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In his first role following his military service, Song Kang (Sweet Home) stars as Kang Pi-o, the perfectionist grandson of a renowned maestro whose mother pushes him to be the very best.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Given how Wade is defined by his love of hallucinogenic mushrooms and off-roading in an ATV, the character is designed to be played big, and Heaton appears to be enjoying himself.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Fumero’s character, Teri, is a detective inspector for the New Jersey State Police.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Passengers will enjoy the amenities and seamless nature of private jet travel at a fraction of the cost.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The characters discuss the addictive nature of dark magic multiple times.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But when Emma never shows up to their meeting, Pao and Dante will have to go on an epic quest— filled with awkward moments, sarcasm, and somewhat reluctant friendships—to save their best friend.
    — Kavya Dhillon, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026
  • His teammates see his personality, his ability to laugh at himself, his sarcasm, his dry wit.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Personality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/personality. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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