MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More (16 page)

100 NEGATIVE CHARACTER TRAITS

Even the nicest character has his weaknesses. If he doesn’t, nobody’s going to like him that much – paradoxical, maybe, but true. Your nastier characters may have a whole suite of bad qualities, or they may have one that people find unforgivable.

Some of these qualities may not be things your characters can really help or change. These may make things difficult for your characters, but they are not moral failures.

1. Absent-minded.
   

She has no idea where she left her papers, and she forgot about her meeting. She just can’t seem to get it together.

1. Aggressive.
   

Whether she’s on the interstate or in a conversation, she’s confrontational for no very good reason.

1. Aloof.
   

He’s so chilly, you need a sweater to go near him.

1. Antisocial.
   

He rarely wants to take part in a conversation, let alone a friendly meal or a party.

1. Anxious.
   

Certain situations make her nervous—or maybe it’s life in general.

1. Apathetic.
   

She doesn’t take an interest in others’ lives, and her own life bores her even more.

1. Argumentative.
   

The devil never had a better advocate than this guy. Sometimes he argues just to be contrary.

1. Authoritarian.
   

She bosses people around and tries to dictate their words and actions. Nobody had better make a move without her approval.

1. Awkward.
   

Although he means well, he has a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

1. Bitter.
   

He feels he was treated unfairly, and he will never, ever get over it.

1. Brusque.
   

He seems to think talking to others is a waste of time.

1. Callous.
   

When she sees those sad commercials about abused cats and dogs, she doesn’t even sniffle. The plight of others leaves her unmoved.

1. Careless.
   

If she hasn’t been in a car accident lately, she’s probably caused one.

1. Childish.
   

She expects immediate gratification and has a meltdown when she doesn’t get it. She’s a 3-year-old trapped in an adult body.

1. Clumsy.
   

He’s always dropping things or running into things.

1. Conceited.
   

It’s a wonder her ego can get through doorways.

1. Condescending.
   

How kind of her to deign to explain things to you.

1. Commitment-phobic.
   

He can’t promise to show up at a barbecue, let alone promise to be faithful.

1. Conformist.
   

If all of his friends jumped off a cliff, he would do it, too, while telling everyone he’s always been into cliff diving.

1. Cowardly.
   

She runs from even the hint of danger or risk.

1. Cruel.
   

Another person’s pain amuses him…so much so, in fact, that he’ll often cause it. This is a flaw that readers find very hard to forgive.

1. Cynical.
   

She greets even positive situations with a jaded attitude.

1. Delusional.
   

He has grandiose ideas about himself and expectations for his life. This is only a negative thing when it starts to harm how he relates to others or how he pursues opportunities.

1. Demanding.
   

As a boss, a parent, or a lover, she has a long list of things she expects you to do.

1. Dependent.
   

He’s clingy, and he can’t stand on his own two feet.

1. Depressed.
   

It may not be his fault that he’s sad all the time, but it does make it difficult on everyone else.

1. Dishonest.
   

He lies whenever it suits him, and he steals if he can get away with it.

1. Disloyal.
   

It doesn’t matter how much you’ve been through together or how much she owes you. She’ll turn on you if it benefits her.

1. Drama-loving.
   

He might say, “I don’t want any drama,” but he thrives on conflict, and his words and actions stir it up.

1. Dull.
   

She has no particular interests and no strong feelings. She does the same things every day. She’s just boring. (Readers will also have a hard time forgiving this in a main character.)

1. Foolish.
   

She makes terrible decisions on a fairly regular basis.

1. Frivolous.
   

He wastes time and money on meaningless pursuits.

1. Fussy.
   

The layout of a document, temperature in a car…everything has to be “just so” for this person.

1. Gossipy.
   

She always passes on juicy stories, whether they’re true or not.

1. Grouchy.
   

Complaining about the weather is his way of saying “good morning.”

1. Gullible.
   

You can draw her into almost any scheme or bad situation.

1. Harsh.
   

His words, lessons, or punishments are needlessly severe.

1. Hedonistic.
   

He indulges himself and puts his immediate pleasure above pretty much everything else.

1. Hot-tempered.
   

It’s not hard to set her off, and she yells a lot.

1. Hypercritical.
   

As far as she’s concerned, every flaw is worth mentioning, or even discussing in detail.

1. Hypocritical.
   

For instance, she holds forth on the sanctity of marriage, and she’s having an affair.

1. Ignorant.
   

He doesn’t know much about the world. If he is willing to learn, it’s forgivable. If he prefers to stay ignorant, it’s not.

1. Impatient.
   

Waiting just about kills him, and he lets everybody know.

1. Indecisive.
   

It takes her so long to choose a restaurant that by the time she does, they’re all closed for the night. For years, she’s been trying to decide whether or not she should leave her husband or go back to school.

1. Inflexible.
   

He doesn’t want to change his plans or routines for any reason.

1. Inhibited.
   

She can’t loosen up and be herself.

1. Insecure.
   

He requires a lot of reassuring and flattering, and he often has the need to prove that he measures up to others.

1. Interfering.
   

It may be none of her business, but she’ll make it her business.

1. Intolerant.
   

People who are different from her frankly infuriate her.

1. Irrational.
   

He makes decisions based on fleeting emotions or ridiculous fancies rather than reasonable considerations.

1. Jealous.
   

She fumes over the fact that other people have nice boyfriends, lovely homes, or good jobs, when she doesn’t. It’s just not fair!

1. Judgmental.
   

Who died and left him God? Apparently he thinks
somebod
y did.

1. Lazy.
   

Her life would be so much better if she could just get motivated.

1. Lecherous.
   

He hits on people constantly, regardless of whether they seem interested or not.

1. Loud.
   

This is not always a negative character trait, but it certainly can be annoying in some situations.

1. Manipulative.
   

She finds sneaky ways to get other people to do what she wants.

1. Materialistic.
   

His prime concern is to acquire more and better stuff than anyone else.

1. Messy.
   

His room, his truck, his hair, or all of the above are a disaster.

1. Moody.
   

She is fine one minute and moping the next.

1. Narrow-minded.
   

She won’t listen to other points of view.

1. Obsequious.
   

He could care less about people of lower social standing, but he sucks up to important people.

1. Obsessive.
   

She just can’t let something go.

1. Opposed to change.
   

New procedures, circumstances, technology and trends threaten him.

1. Overcommitted.
   

She always takes on more than she can handle.

1. Overtalkative.
   

It’s hard to get a word in edgewise.

1. Passive.
   

Maybe he doesn’t do anything evil, but he doesn’t do anything to stop it, either.

1. Pedantic.
   

She belabors all the details and formalities.

1. Perverted.
   

He has disturbing inclinations.

1. Pessimistic.
   

She always expects the worst-case scenario, which is much worse than anything you could have imagined.

1. Petty.
   

He gets hung up on the slightest of slights.

1. Pompous.
   

She’s self-important and pretentious.

1. Possessive.
   

He acts like his wife or girlfriend is his private property.

1. Prickly.
   

You never know what will offend him.

1. Procrastinating.
   

She puts everything off until the last minute.

1. Proud.
   

She doesn’t ask for or accept help, even when it’s the most sensible thing to do.

1. Pseudo-intellectual.
   

He takes every opportunity to pretend he is well read or highly philosophical.

1. Rebellious.
   

This can be a positive trait, but only if there’s a good reason for it.

1. Rude.
   

Where are his manners? Nowhere to be found.

1. Sanctimonious.
   

Why can’t everyone live up to her high moral standards? That’s all she wants to know.

1. Self-centered.
   

She will rarely ask herself how her actions or a situation will affect anyone else but her.

1. Shallow.
   

He’s almost incapable of considering or discussing weighty matters.

1. Shy.
   

He won’t strike up a conversation and will get nervous if you do.

1. Smug.
   

Her life is perfect, and she will be the first to tell you that this is all because of her good choices.

1. Snobbish.
   

If you invite her to dinner, she’ll turn her nose up at your bargain wine or your grandma’s fried chicken recipe.

1. Stingy.
   

Waitresses hate him.

1. Stubborn.
   

Trying to get her to change her mind on anything is close to impossible.

1. Suspicious.
   

He’s pretty sure everyone’s out to get him…so much so, you kind of hope that somebody does.

1. Tacky.
   

She’s too loud, she dresses inappropriately, and she has no social graces.

1. Unable to Admit Mistakes.
   

Even when it’s clear that he messed up, he’ll have some kind of story or excuse.

1. Undisciplined.
   

She can’t stick to a plan or exert much self-control.

1. Ungrateful.
   

His grandma paid for some of his college. He can’t even be bothered to send her a birthday card.

1. Unimaginative.
   

She can’t envision other possibilities.

1. Vain.
   

He’s attractive, sure…especially in that big oil painting of himself hanging over his mantel. However, he isn’t nearly as handsome as he thinks he is.

1. Vindictive.
   

If she thinks she’s been wronged, she will try to even the score and then some.

1. Violent.
   

She handles disagreements by breaking dishes or breaking bones.

1. Vulgar.
   

He makes inappropriate and gross jokes. He makes his bodily functions everybody’s business.

1. Wasteful.
   

He doesn’t just spend money on things he doesn’t really need…he spends money on things that nobody on earth needs.

1. Weak.
   

When the going gets tough, she lies down and gives up.

1. Workaholic.
   

He can’t make time for his partner, his family, his friends, or anything else.

1. Whiny.
   

Not only does he complain a lot, but he does it in an annoying tone of voice.

25 POSITIVE CHARACTER TRAITS THAT CAN ALSO BE NEGATIVE

When you were reading through the lists of positive character traits, did you find yourself thinking, “Well, that one can be annoying at times”? And in the list of negative character traits, did you ever think, “Hey, that’s not always a bad thing?”

One key to creating great characters is to give them strengths that are
also
flaws. Here are 25 examples of personal qualities...and how they can sometimes be too much of a good thing.

1. The good quality:
   He wants to protect everyone he cares about, plus anyone else he perceives as needing protection.
   

How it can be bad:
He may boss people around too much—for their own good, in his mind. To repel a threat, he might use more force than necessary, and he might even perceive a threat where there isn’t one.

1. The good quality:
   She’s an optimist. Even in tough circumstances, she looks on the bright side, which makes her a cheerful person.
   

How it can be bad:
When people feel angry, sad, or discouraged, she may make things worse by telling them to cheer up. She may pursue grand plans that don’t have a chance of working.

1. The good quality:
   He has a great sense of humor. For any situation, he has a hilarious comment.
   

How it can be bad:
He might joke about things that really aren’t that funny, and be unable to discuss something seriously. His wisecracks may wind up exposing people’s vulnerabilities and hurting their feelings.

1. The good quality:
   She has a lot of self-discipline. Sticking to a workout schedule and finishing a difficult project are no problem for her.
   

How it can be bad:
Trying to get her to abandon her routine, even for a good reason, may be next to impossible. She may not know how to relax and have fun.

1. The good quality
   : He loves new experiences and adapts easily even to abrupt changes in circumstances.
   

How it can be bad:
In stable, predictable environments, he gets bored and restless. He might abandon people or responsibilities entirely.

1. The good quality:
   She’s agreeable and goes along with plans, never starting arguments or causing conflicts. This makes her a great team member and a favorite employee.
   

How it can be bad:
She carries out orders even if they are immoral or illegal. She’ll be the first person to say later that she was just doing her job.

1. The good quality:
   He’s sensitive to other people’s feelings. He frequently shows and tells his family and friends how much he loves them.
   

How it can be bad:
He may take things very personally, even when they weren’t intended that way. At times, he may be too clingy.

1. The good quality:
   She has charisma to spare. People are naturally drawn to her company and conversation.
   

How it can be bad:
She might always demand to be the center of attention, even when it’s somebody else’s turn.

1. The good quality:
   He is meticulous. His email inbox is always cleaned out, his apartment is always immaculate, and he’s the only one to read the fine print.
   

How it can be bad:
He might think everyone should organize things the same way he does, and he might be so fussy and critical that he drives everybody nuts.

1. The good quality:
   She is ambitious. So far, she’s made her own way in the world, and she is just getting started.
   

How it can be bad:
She might be ruthless in pursuing her goals. In order to win, she might be willing to cheat, lie, or manipulate others.

1. The good quality:
   He is a creative genius. His paintings, movies, or books enthrall people.
   

How it can be bad:
He may struggle with depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, and he may resist treatment because he’s afraid it will alter his work.

1. The good quality:
   She’s candid and honest about her opinions and her own mistakes. It’s refreshing.
   

How it can be bad:
She might not be able to keep her mouth shut, even when that would be the best course of action. Her words may make people feel bad or get her and everybody else into trouble.

1. The good quality:
   He’s an idealist. A humanitarian, he works and campaigns to make the world a better place.
   

How it can be bad:
There may be no middle ground for him—he won’t settle for anything less than his vision. As lofty as his ideals for humanity are, he might not be kind to individual people.

1. The good quality:
   She has a great imagination. She can get lost in books and TV shows, and she’s a good storyteller herself.
   

How it can be bad:
She might be an escapist who avoids real-life problems and responsibilities. She may not engage enough with the real people around her.

1. The good quality:
   He has impeccable taste. In clothing, interiors, music, or all of the above, he’s knowledgeable and has true style.
   

How it can be bad:
His high level of taste may lead him to overspend. He may look down on those with less refined sensibilities.

1. The good quality:
   Her analytical skills are beyond compare. She can look at the facts objectively and propose rational solutions.
   

How it can be bad:
She may fail to understand when someone just wants empathy rather than a practical solution. She might not be that great at expressing warm feelings in general.

1. The good quality:
   He’s outgoing and gregarious. His social calendar is full, and he has friends everywhere.
   

How it can be bad:
He may have no idea how to entertain himself and might not deal well with solitude. He may not be a deep thinker.

1. The good quality:
   She’s strong and stoic. Even when things get really tough, she doesn’t complain.
   

How it can be bad:
She might expect everyone else to be just as tough as she is and fail to show much pity.

1. The good quality:
   He’s a very sensual person. He knows how to take great pleasure in good food, sex, and other indulgences.
   

How it can be bad:
He may overindulge, leading to addictive behavior. Alternately, he may be selfish, putting his gratification above other people’s feelings.

1. The good quality:
   She’s confident. In every situation, she believes in herself and her abilities, and that assurance often leads other people to trust her as well.
   

How it can be bad:
She may not ask for advice, even when she doesn’t know what she is doing and could really use it.

1. The good quality:
   He takes care of his health. He works out, eats right, and reads articles about nutrition.
   

How it can be bad:
He may lecture other people about their choices, and he may treat unhealthiness as a moral failing.

1. The good quality:
   She is a strong critical thinker. She can see through propaganda and recognize when an argument doesn’t hold up.
   

How it can be bad:
She might be too critical and negative, and she might over-analyze everything.

1. The good quality:
   He’s conscientious, and he obeys rules to the letter of the law.
   

How it can be bad:
He may want to punish others for harmless infractions, or enforce rules that make no sense.

1. The good quality:
   She’s prudent. Before taking action, she researches the matter and weighs the possible consequences.
   

How it can be bad:
If she’s overwhelmed with data, she might be unable to make a decision. Even in dire circumstances, she may be unable to take quick action.

1. The good quality:
   He’s humble and modest. You’ll never hear him bragging about anything.
   

How it can be bad:
He may not ever live up to his potential, and he may deprive the world of his unique gifts.