Examples of Attributes

An attribute is defined as a quality or characteristic of a person, place, or thing. Real life individuals and fictional characters possess various attributes. For example, someone might be labeled beautiful, charming, funny, or intelligent. These are all attributes, but don't those labels seem to ring true as traits too?

There is a difference between attributes and traits, but it is slight and some characteristics could be considered either an attribute or a trait. Let's consider the difference between the two, and throw in skills too, before we take a look at some examples of attributes.

Difference Between Attributes, Skills, and Traits

We know an attribute is a quality or characteristic of a person, place, or thing. It's an identifying label that alludes to something inherent about them, like charm or cruelty.

A skill, on the other hand, is generally something that is taught. A person will undergo training to learn or improve a particular skill. These might include calligraphy, computer coding, or car repair.

Meanwhile, a trait is an ingrained characteristic or habit that is difficult to learn or unlearn, like shyness or confidence.

To explore the topic of traits more, take a look at some character trait examples.

Positive Attributes

As you look at people around you or develop a character study for your latest short story or novel, how would you label them? What are their attributes? Will these labels denote positive qualities or characteristics? If so, try one of these attributes on for size:

Achiever	Exciting	Meditative	Pleasant	Sensible
Adaptable	Flexible	Mediator	Positive	Sensitive
Ambitious	Focused	Modest	Practical	Sincere
Balanced	Forgiving	Organized	Proactive	Skilled
Cheerful	Generous	Original	Productive	Solid
Consistent	Genuine	Outgoing	Professional	Sporty
Cooperative	Helpful	Particular	Quality	Thoughtful
Courageous	Insightful	Patient	Quick	Trustworthy
Curious	Interesting	Perceptive	Racy	Understanding
Devoted	Inventive	Personable	Responsible	Warm

Negative Attributes

Every story needs conflict or a villain. Although one of these attributes may not be their identifying characteristic, or trait, it might be one of the markers you'll use to describe them. Let's take a look:

Arrogant	Cynical	Inflexible	Pessimistic	Thoughtless
Belligerent	Deceitful	Intolerant	Pompous	Truculent
Boastful	Detached	Irresponsible	Possessive	Unkind
Boring	Dishonest	Jealous	Quarrelsome	Unpredictable
Bossy	Domineering	Lazy	Resentful	Unreliable
Callous	Foolish	Mean	Rude	Untrustworthy
Careless	Greedy	Moody	Sarcastic	Vague
Compulsive	Gullible	Nasty	Selfish	Vain
Cowardly	Impolite	Nervous	Stupid	Vengeful
Cruel	Inconsiderate	Patronizing	Tactless	Vulgar

Professional Attributes

Finally, some attributes aren't quite so personal. Especially in the workplace, certain attributes are simply matter-of-fact. Maybe one of the characters in your book will meet his enterprising lawyer or efficient book editor. If so, you might want to consider honing in on one of these attributes:

Accountable	Dependable	Focused	Motivated	Respectful
Adaptable	Determined	Forgiving	Objective	Scheduled
Authentic	Diligent	Generous	Organized	Scrupulous
Broadminded	Disciplined	Hardworking	Passionate	Selfless
Caring	Effective	Humble	Patient	Sincere
Collaborative	Efficient	Innovative	Perseverant	Studious
Consistent	Empathetic	Kind	Planner	Thinker
Courteous	Engaging	Listens well	Precise	Transparent
Credible	Enthusiastic	Loyal	Proactive	Trustworthy
Decisive	Evolving	Methodical	Realistic	Truthful

Attributes Abound

Most of us have more than one attribute. We can be clever and funny, or beautiful and honest. While it's true traits are more singular and identifying, it's interesting to see people's attributes unfold. Whether real-life or fictional, attributes abound for many of us.

If you'd like to dive deeper into aspects of personality types and traits, enjoy these Examples of Personality Traits. There, you'll learn more about the famous Myers-Briggs indicators and it may help you develop your new character with wonderful depth. Happy labeling!