People and Relationships: Negative Words to Describe People

Prepare for the IELTS exam with this list of negative words that are used to describe people.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. aggressive
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
    But how was she supposed to make friends with an aggressive forest elf who could make trees attack people? Anya and the Nightingale
  2. arrogant
    having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance
    “I was arrogant. I thought I was so much better than everyone else around me. Had I just listened to my teachers, to my friends...” Beasts of Prey
  3. awkward
    socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner
    We are awkward together for a few moments, unsure what to say. Everything, Everything
  4. bad-tempered
    annoyed and irritable
    It’s a good thing I’m not the grouchy type, because then I might become sour and bad-tempered. The Diary of a Young Girl
  5. condescending
    characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance
    “Wake the others,” Scipio commanded in his bossy, condescending voice, which Hornet hated so much. The Thief Lord
  6. cranky
    easily irritated or annoyed
    Grumpminster Fink was a man who was cranky and mean and made everybody miserable. The Lemonade War
  7. critical
    marked by a tendency to find and call attention to flaws
    She is a critical person who seems to tell me everything the rest of us are doing wrong. The Seattle Times
  8. dishonest
    deceptive or fraudulent
    It does bother me that I am being dishonest, especially to Zlata, but is it lying when I don’t say anything? The Freedom Writers Diary
  9. envious
    painfully desirous of another's advantages
    The man’s voice—thin and suspicious—had returned to normal, and his old, envious personality was back. The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm
  10. foolish
    lacking good sense or judgment
    Had he watched and laughed as the foolish little girl went off on impossible missions? An Ember in the Ashes
  11. immature
    childish in behavior or emotional development
    “Do you ever act your age, or are you always this immature?” Beasts of Prey
  12. insensitive
    not noticing or caring about the feelings or needs of others
    Mom was so nice, so kind, so understanding that she made the rest of us seem like insensitive jerks. Schooled
  13. irresponsible
    showing lack of care for consequences
    “I was just angry. Imogen is irresponsible. She loses her phone or forgets to turn it on. She’s not good with calling, texting, any of that.” Genuine Fraud
  14. irritable
    easily annoyed
    After nearly a week of being cooked alive and shaken out of my skin I'm irritable and in no mood to deal with a bunch of toothless bullies. Dread Nation
  15. jealous
    suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival
    Today is one of my favorite stories: the one of Prophet Yusuf and his jealous brothers who threw him into a well. Amina's Voice
  16. manipulative
    skillful in influencing others to one's own advantage
    “He can be very cunning, very manipulative. I would know.” The City Beautiful
  17. pessimistic
    expecting the worst possible outcome
    He was a generally pessimistic person, but he seemed to make an exception for Katherines: he always felt they would come back to him. An Abundance of Katherines
  18. selfish
    concerned chiefly with your own advantage
    Was it selfish to have wants beyond my family being together? Between Shades of Gray
  19. suspicious
    openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
    He didn’t seem as angry as he used to—just suspicious, careful. The Battle of the Labyrinth
  20. timid
    showing fear and lack of courage
    They hated sunlight but were too timid to venture out after dark, except during the full moon. A Girl Named Disaster
Created on Thu Jul 27 14:48:54 EDT 2023 (updated Tue Aug 29 13:34:40 EDT 2023)

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