Character Traits Vocabulary Worksheet

Press Print worksheet to match twelve character trait words, from brave and honest to stubborn, to their meanings.

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NameDateMade at homeroomtools.comDraw a line from each one on the left to its partner on the right.Character traits vocabularybravehonestloyalcuriousgenerousstubbornkindpatientresponsibleselfishlazypolitegentle and helpful, mindful of howothers feelsharing what one has withoutcounting the costtruthful; not one to lie, cheat orstealwilling to wait, without anger, foras long as it takesavoiding work or anything thattakes effortcourteous; careful not to be rudeto anyonesensible, and willing to answerfor one's own actionssticking by a friend, group orcause through hard timesstaying strong and steady whenthere is dangerunwilling to budge or change anopinionfull of questions and keen to findthings outcaring little for others so long asone is satisfied
NameDateMade at homeroomtools.comDraw a line from each one on the left to its partner on the right.Character traits vocabularyAnswer keybravehonestloyalcuriousgenerousstubbornkindpatientresponsibleselfishlazypolitegentle and helpful, mindful of howothers feelsharing what one has withoutcounting the costtruthful; not one to lie, cheat orstealwilling to wait, without anger, foras long as it takesavoiding work or anything thattakes effortcourteous; careful not to be rudeto anyonesensible, and willing to answerfor one's own actionssticking by a friend, group orcause through hard timesstaying strong and steady whenthere is dangerunwilling to budge or change anopinionfull of questions and keen to findthings outcaring little for others so long asone is satisfied
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All 36 words

Common character traits 12

  • brave Staying strong and steady when there is danger. "The brave girl walked onto the stage alone."
  • curious Full of questions and keen to find things out. "A curious child took the clock apart to see the gears."
  • generous Sharing what one has without counting the cost. "The generous neighbor left soup on three doorsteps."
  • honest Truthful; not one to lie, cheat or steal. "An honest boy handed in the wallet he found."
  • kind Gentle and helpful, mindful of how others feel. "A kind stranger carried her bags up the steps."
  • lazy Avoiding work or anything that takes effort. "The lazy cat let the mouse walk past."
  • loyal Sticking by a friend, group or cause through hard times. "A loyal fan cheered through a season without a win."
  • patient Willing to wait, without anger, for as long as it takes. "The patient fisherman sat for an hour without a bite."
  • polite Courteous; careful not to be rude to anyone. "The polite guest thanked the cook twice."
  • responsible Sensible, and willing to answer for one's own actions. "A responsible captain counts every player onto the bus."
  • selfish Caring little for others so long as one is satisfied. "The selfish king kept every pie for himself."
  • stubborn Unwilling to budge or change an opinion. "The stubborn mule would not cross the bridge."
Show all 36 words (24 more)

Positive character traits 12

  • adaptable Able to adjust easily when conditions change. "The adaptable hiker changed her route when the river rose."
  • compassionate Moved by another's trouble and wishing to ease it. "The compassionate nurse sat with the frightened boy."
  • cooperative Willing to join in and work as part of a team. "The cooperative twins built the fort together."
  • diligent Putting steady, focused effort into every task. "The diligent student checked every sum twice."
  • enthusiastic Showing lively excitement about something. "The enthusiastic drummer arrived an hour early."
  • grateful Thankful for a kindness or a gift received. "The grateful traveler wrote to the family who took him in."
  • punctual Prompt; there at the hour that was agreed. "The punctual baker opened at six every morning."
  • reliable Certain to follow through on a job or a promise. "A reliable friend shows up when the tent needs carrying."
  • respectful Showing honor or high regard toward others. "The respectful class stood when the visitor came in."
  • sociable Fond of meeting people and spending time with them. "The sociable parrot greeted every customer."
  • thrifty Sparing with money; good at making things last. "The thrifty tailor saved every button."
  • tolerant Accepting of beliefs and ways unlike one's own. "A tolerant host welcomed guests with very different views."

Negative character traits 12

  • absent-minded Forgetful, with thoughts drifting somewhere else. "The absent-minded baker left the flour out of the bread."
  • aloof Cool and distant in manner; slow to warm to people. "The aloof new boy ate lunch by the window."
  • argumentative Apt to pick a quarrel over nearly anything. "The argumentative brothers disagreed about the weather."
  • conceited Far too pleased with one's own looks or talents. "The conceited prince hung a mirror in every room."
  • deceitful Given to tricking or misleading people on purpose. "The deceitful trader painted pebbles to look like gold."
  • defiant Standing up to an order or rule in an open, bold way. "The defiant toddler threw the spoon again."
  • envious Unhappy that another person has something one lacks. "The envious sister stared at the new red boots."
  • indecisive Slow or unable to settle on a choice. "The indecisive shopper picked up every hat twice."
  • irritable Quickly annoyed, even by small things. "The irritable innkeeper snapped at a creaking door."
  • spiteful Eager to upset or hurt someone out of ill will. "The spiteful rival hid the runner's shoes."
  • sulky Silent and resentful after an upset. "The sulky player stared at the bench and said nothing."
  • tactless Careless about words that may hurt feelings. "The tactless guest asked why the cake had sunk."

How this list was compiled: Word list chosen for this site on 2026-10-12. Each meaning is written in our own words and was checked that day in two dictionaries: the entry for the term in Wiktionary, the free dictionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/), whose text is under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license, and the entry in the Cambridge Dictionary (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/). The answers under the list rest on the Wiktionary entries brave, loyal, fickle, treacherous and stubborn and on the articles Trait theory and Moral character of English Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/), whose text is under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. The sentence in quotation marks after each meaning is our own, about a made-up character. Licence: own work

How it works

This character traits vocabulary worksheet prints twelve trait words down the left and their meanings, mixed up, down the right. It opens on common traits such as brave and loyal. Two more sets hold positive and negative traits.

Read the full guide

Common character trait words

Set opens on Common character traits: brave, honest, loyal, curious, generous, stubborn, kind, patient, responsible, selfish, lazy and polite. Positive character traits runs from compassionate, diligent and reliable to sociable and thrifty.

Negative character traits

The third set prints conceited, deceitful, envious, spiteful, irritable, defiant, aloof, argumentative, absent-minded, indecisive, sulky and tactless. Under the tool each word has a sentence about a made-up character, such as "The conceited prince hung a mirror in every room."

Questions and answers

What is the difference between a character trait and a personality trait?

A personality trait is a person's usual way of acting, thinking or feeling, such as being outgoing. Character is a person's steady moral qualities, such as honesty, courage and loyalty. This sheet has both: sociable beside honest.

Is stubborn a positive or negative character trait?

It leans negative: a stubborn character refuses to move or to change an opinion. The same dictionary entry adds a plainer wording: persistent in doing something.

What is another word for brave?

Courageous is the closest. Bold, daring and plucky are near it, and cowardly and fearful are opposites.

What is the opposite of loyal?

Disloyal. The dictionary also lists fickle, quick to change one's allegiance, and treacherous, inclined to betray, as opposites of loyal.

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