extrovert

extrovert — noun

1. a person who gains energy from being around other people and actively enjoys soc

1.nounB1
Definition

a person who gains energy from being around other people and actively enjoys social situations, often seeking out the company of others

Example

Kwame is such an extrovert that he felt lonely after a day working from home.

trait description: 'such an extrovert' pattern

The job requires an extrovert who can lead team meetings and give presentations.

collocation: 'requires an extrovert'

Common collocations
  • a natural extrovert
  • an extrovert by nature
  • more of an extrovert
  • describe someone as an extrovert
Synonyms
  • outgoing person

    more casual, describes friendliness without the energy-from-socializing implication

  • people person

    informal, emphasizes ease and comfort with others

  • social butterfly

    informal, suggests someone who flits between social groups at events

  • gregarious person

    slightly formal, highlights a fondness for being in crowds or groups

Antonyms
  • introvert

    the direct opposite; a person who gains energy from time alone

  • loner

    more informal, often implies a preference for solitude over socializing

Grammar Patterns

be + an + extrovert

act/describe + as + an + extrovert

Usage Note

Often contrasted with 'introvert'. The pair extrovert/introvert is widely used in everyday personality descriptions and not limited to formal psychology.

Common Mistakes

She is very outgoing, so she must be an extrovert.
She is very outgoing, and she also gains energy from socializing
that makes her an extrovert.' — 'Outgoing' describes friendliness, while 'extrovert' is about where a person gets their energy.
He is a very extrovert.
He is a very extroverted person.' or 'He is very extrovert.
As a noun, 'extrovert' requires an article; as an adjective, no article is needed.

extrovert — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Extrovert is the broadest and most neutral of these terms; it describes someone whose energy comes from social interaction and who actively seeks it. 'Outgoing person' focuses on friendliness and approachability but does not carry the energy-source meaning. 'People person' is informal and highlights comfort and skill with others rather than a personality type. 'Social butterfly' is more playful and suggests someone who moves between groups at social events, often with a hint of light-heartedness. For example, you would describe a colleague who gives team presentations and organizes after-work drinks as an extrovert; the same person might be called a people person by a friend. If they skip from conversation to conversation at a party, they could be called a social butterfly.

extrovert ↗outgoing personpeople personsocial butterfly

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • by nature
  • more of an extrovert

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinGerman (via Jung's psychology)English

The word extrovert was coined in the early 1900s by the psychologist Carl Jung, who spelled it 'extravert'. He built it from the Latin prefix 'extra-' (meaning 'outside') and '-vert' from 'vertere' (meaning 'to turn'). The idea is that an extrovert's attention and energy turn outward, towards other people and the external world. The spelling 'extrovert' later became more common in English, influenced by the pattern of the Latin prefix 'extro-'.