90 Examples of Character Weaknesses

John Spacey, updated on December 15, 2023

Character weaknesses are aspects of an individual's personality and repeated behavior that have a negative impact. With perhaps a few exceptions, everyone has such weaknesses. Where an individual has many strengths a few weaknesses can be charming. This is the reason that writers almost always give characters, including heroes, character flaws. It is human to be weak and characters without a weakness come off as unappealing. Nevertheless, it is important to personal development that an individual look at themselves in a realistic light, including examination of weakness to try to improve. The following are commonly cited character weaknesses.

Absent-Minded	Aloof
Antisocial	Apathetic
Biased	Careless
Childish	Compulsive
Conceited	Condescending
Controlling	Cowardly
Cranky	Cynical
Disagreeable	Dishonest
Disloyal	Disrespectful
Distrustful	Dreary
Dull	Egotistical
Envious	Foolish
Gossipy	Greedy
Hostile	Hypocritical
Impatient	Impractical
Inattentive	Incompetent
Inconsiderate	Inconsistent
Insecure	Insensitive
Irrational	Irresponsible
Jealous	Judgmental
Know-it-all	Lazy
Malevolent	Materialistic
Mediocrity	Melodramatic
Naive	Narcissistic
Needy	Nervous
Nosy	Obsessive
One-sided	Overly Critical
Overly Dramatic	Oversensitive
Paranoid	Passive
Passive Aggressive	Perfectionist
Pessimistic	Possessive
Prejudiced	Pretentious
Reckless	Resentful
Self-Indulgent	Selfish
Short-tempered	Snobby
Supercilious	Superficial
Suspicious	Tactless
Temperamental	Touchy
Uncooperative	Undisciplined
Unethical	Unfair
Unfriendly	Unimaginative
Unintelligent	Unmotivated
Unrealistic	Unreliable
Unstable	Unsympathetic
Vain	Volatile

Charming Character Weaknesses

Characters of film and literature tend to be unlikable or unrelatable where they lack weaknesses. This is a reflection of life whereby you may like others as much for their weaknesses as their strengths. The following character weaknesses are potentially charming.

In some cases, characteristics that are usually weaknesses can be a strength of a particular individual. For example, a dreary artist who finds this a source of self-expression such that they create works of remarkable value. Likewise, character strengths taken to an extreme can become weaknesses such as an unusually social person who forgets the joys of being alone such as quiet reflection.

Next: Character Strengths

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