25 Collocations that Describe Personality

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Do you tend to exaggerate or are you brutally honest? 😐 In today’s blog entry we will be learning the meanings of 25 collocations that describe personality, which are natural English expressions for people’s qualities and character.

Good/bad company 

If people consider someone a good company then they are pleasant to be with so people enjoy their company; and vice-versa, if someone is considered a bad company, then they are unpleasant, problematic, rude, etc, so people usually avoid them.

• The children at school didn’t like him because he was bad company. But later on, when he became valedictorian, everybody wanted to be his friend.
• Mark has a reputation of being a decent man and good company.

Have a tendency to exaggerate / lose his/her temper / make snap (quick) decisions

• Paul may have a tendency to exaggerate when talking about his personal achievements but I’m sure his heart is in the right place.
• Peter’s a great guy, but he sometimes loses his temper and makes snap decisions, which he regrets later.

Speak your mind 

If you speak your mind, then you tell what you really think of something.

• I like him because he always speaks his mind.
• Every leader should be charismatic, communicative, emphatic and always speak his mind, no matter what.

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Enjoy your own company 

People who enjoy their own company usually prefer being alone to being with someone.

• Susan always goes to the cinema alone because she enjoys her own company.
• I like to go on holiday alone. Not only because I enjoy my own company but also because I don’t have to compromise with anyone.

Be fiery-tempered 

A moody person who easily gets annoyed can be called fiery-tempered.

• He stopped going for basketball because his coach was a fiery-tempered and annoying man.
• Every time he sees his ex-girlfriend he gets red in the face and starts shouting like a fiery-tempered lunatic.

Have a sense of humour 

If you have a sense of humour, then you are a funny and witty person.

• His jokes are so funny. He’s got a great sense of humour.
• A presenter has to be approachable and well-mannered and has a sense of humour.

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Have a way with words 

People who have a way with words are eloquent and skilled speakers.

• Pierre was chosen to make a speech because everyone knew that he had a way with words.
• My college professor once told me that I passed the test not because I studied hard but because I had a way with words.

Get easily bored 

This collocation refers to people who have difficulty to find interest in something.

• Whatever toy I buy for our daughter she easily gets bored with it.
• After her husband died, she had difficulty finding interest in anything; she got so easily bored.

Strong personality 

People who have strong personalities are usually confident and assertive and not easily influenced by other people.

• He became a boss because of his strong personality.
• Our daughter is only five and she already knows what she wants. She’s such a strong personality.

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Supremely confident 

A supremely confident person is extremely confident.

• Despite her age, Susan is a supremely confident manageress.
• Tim was a supremely confident speaker and his presentations were something special.

Outgoing personality

People who have outgoing personalities are usually talkative and open.

• I presume Gregory has an outgoing personality because he enjoys meeting new people.
• She was not very pretty but she had an outgoing personality which attracted people like glue.

Burning ambition 

If you have an extremely strong desire to achieve something, then you have a burning ambition.

• Brian had a burning ambition of becoming a professional athlete when he gets older.
• Even at an early age, Tara had a burning ambition to become a prima ballerina.

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Risk-taker 

A person who likes taking risks rather than being safe and stable is a risk-taker.

• Sometimes you need to be a risk-taker, especially if you want to make progress at work.
• As he was born in the gambler’s family, he was naturally a risk-taker.

Shy and retiring 

A person who avoids meeting other people and doesn’t like to be noticed is shy and retiring.

• I wanted to introduce her to the company but she was shy and retiring, so I gave up.
• My cat is so shy and retiring. She always hides and feels unsafe around people.

Have an eye for detail 

If you have an eye for detail, then you are particularly good at noticing small things.

• Luckily, I have a good eye for detail so I noticed an irregularity in the contract.
• Agatha Christie’s character Poirot had an extremely good eye for detail.

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Have a vivid imagination 

People with vivid imagination possess the ability to imagine things with ease.

• The novels by J.K. Rowling are so successful because of her vivid imagination.
• Artists should have not only talent but also a vivid imagination.

Give the impression of

The collocation refers to an idea of what someone is like.

• Liam gives the impression of a busy person probably because he’s always so confused.
• I don’t want to give an impression that I’m poor, but don’t you think that item is over-priced.

Good at keeping secrets 

A confidant is good at keeping secrets.

• Laura is so good at keeping secrets. You can tell her anything, she’ll never tell a soul.
• I can confide in my best friend, she’s excellent at keeping secrets.

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Bear a grudge 

If you bear a grudge, then you remain angry with someone for a long time because of past deeds or conflicts.

• She’s still bearing a grudge against me for the argument we had 3 years ago.
• Martha is easy to get angry but he rarely bears a grudge for long.

Painfully shy 

A painfully shy person is extremely shy.

• Keith was painfully shy when he was a teenager.
• They say that she never got married because she was painfully shy.

25 Collocations that Describe Personality

Keep your temper 

If you keep your temper, then you retain anger rather than react fiercely.

• It’s not easy to keep your temper with so many things going wrong.
• If you want your children to grow up well, it is very important to keep your temper when you are around them.

Set high standards 

People who set high standards usually do things better than others.

• People who set high standards are usually very disciplined at work.
• Although she was a young team leader, Lisa set high standards for her team.

Brutally honest 

A brutally honest person is always sincere and honest regardless of the other person’s feelings.

• I don’t want to be brutally honest, but you look terrible in that dress.
• To be brutally honest, your presentation was a mess.

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