character flaws
Moral weak spots
Character flaws are defects in personality or behavior that make someone less admirable or effective—selfishness, cowardice, jealousy, dishonesty.
The term appears frequently in discussions of fiction, where flaws make characters believable and drive narrative conflict: Every protagonist needs character flaws.
In real life, acknowledging one's character flaws is considered a step toward self-improvement.
- aggressivenessForceful, hostile disposition
- arroganceExcessive self-importance
- insecurityUncertainty about oneself
- dishonestyDisposition toward falsehood
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
victim mentality · self-destructive behavior · lack of empathy · close-mindedness · selfishness · control freak · apathy · greed · irrationality · envy · gullibility · irresponsibility · poor judgment · stubbornness · hubris · hypocrisy · peccadilloes · jealousy
- tragedytragedy, tragic hero, tragic heroes, tragic irony, catharsis
- Shakespeare comedymistaken identity, comic relief, dramatic irony, Falstaff, Malvolio
- comedy elementspunchline, wit, gag, satire, irony
- vulnerabilityvulnerability, vulnerable, defenselessness, defenseless, helplessness
- misanthropymisanthrope, contempt, disdain, loathing, hatred
- personality disordersborderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, OCPD, personality disorders
character flawsvirtues
Positive moral traits
moral virtues · redeeming qualities · moral excellence · integrity · righteousness