Word
personable
Phoneticsper·son·able
US/ˈpɝsənəbəɫ/
UK/pˈɜːsənəbəl/
Definition
adj. having a pleasant personality that makes other people like you. A person who is personable is easy to talk to and behaves well in social situations.
adj. having a pleasant appearance and manner; socially agreeable and easy to interact with. Often used in professional contexts to describe individuals who possess strong interpersonal skills.
Examples
“The new manager is very personable and easy to talk to.”
“Although he lacked technical experience, his personable nature made him the ideal candidate for the customer relations role.”
“The candidate's personable demeanor during the interview process successfully masked a lack of specific industry knowledge, ultimately securing him the position over more qualified but less charismatic rivals.”
Examples
simple
“The new manager is very personable and easy to talk to.”
contextual
“Although he lacked technical experience, his personable nature made him the ideal candidate for the customer relations role.”
complex
“The candidate's personable demeanor during the interview process successfully masked a lack of specific industry knowledge, ultimately securing him the position over more qualified but less charismatic rivals.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “personable” in context.
Verb
01. appear personable
“He worked hard to appear personable and approachable during the campaign.”
verb + adj
02. remain personable
“It is important to remain personable even when dealing with difficult clients.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. extremely personable
“He is an extremely personable young man who gets along with everyone in the office.”
adv + adj
04. highly personable
“The candidate was highly personable and made a great impression during the interview.”
adv + adj
05. thoroughly personable
“She proved to be a thoroughly personable host, making every guest feel welcome.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. personable individual
“We are looking for a personable individual to join our front-of-house team.”
adj + noun
07. personable manner
“His personable manner makes him very effective in sales and networking.”
adj + noun
08. a warm and personable nature
“Her warm and personable nature helped her build strong relationships with her students.”
09. be personable and professional
“The ideal receptionist must be both personable and professional at all times.”
Usage
Typically used to describe individuals in a professional or social setting; functions both attributively and predicatively.
Real-World Examples
“The Holmes he met in the green room was personable and pleasant.” “In contrast, Pagano is viewed as a personable individual, exuding warmth that can make one feel the need for a fan.” “At 66, Ms. Sinclair presented herself as warm, inviting, and personable.” “It is worth noting that Sarnoff, intelligent and personable, was never afforded the chance to fully execute her role.” Etymology
From Late Middle English personable, personabil (“having a pleasing appearance, handsome”), and then from both of the following: * For sense 1 (“having a pleasing appearance”) and sense 2 (“having a pleasant manner”) (these senses are not found in Old French or Medieval Latin), probably from person, personne, persoun (“individual, person”) + -āble (suffix meaning ‘able or worthy to be’ forming adjectives). * For sense 3.1 (“synonym of personal”) and sense 3.2 (“being a legal person”), from Middle French personable and Old French personable, and from their etymon Medieval Latin personābilis (“personal”), possibly from Medieval Latin persōna (“person”) + Latin -ābilis (suffix meaning ‘able or worthy to be’). By surface analysis, person + -able (suffix meaning ‘relevant or suitable to’).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/personable