Meaning & use

being personable

phrase·Advanced

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UK/ˌbiːɪŋ ˈpɜːsənəbl/
US/ˌbiːɪŋ ˈpɜːrsənəbl/

Meanings

  1. phraseapproving

    the quality of having a pleasant, friendly, and attractive manner that makes others feel comfortable.

    Grammar: Used as a noun phrase: 'Being personable is an asset in sales.' It can also follow prepositions: 'about being personable'.

    Patterns

    • being personable with someone
    • being personable in a situation
    • being personable to someone

    Being personable is just as important as being skilled in many jobs.

    Her being personable made her popular with clients.

    He has a knack for being personable without seeming fake.

  2. phraseapproving

    the act of behaving in a friendly and charming way that appeals to others.

    Grammar: Often used after verbs like 'enjoy' or 'appreciate': 'I appreciate your being personable.'

    Patterns

    • being personable with someone
    • being personable toward someone

    The interviewer noted her being personable throughout the meeting.

    Being personable can open doors in any career.

Common combinations

being personable with
She is very personable with customers.
try to be personable
Try to be personable at the networking event.
personable manner
His personable manner made him a great team leader.
personable and friendly
The new teacher is personable and friendly.

Synonyms and how they differ

friendly
Friendly means kind and pleasant; personable adds a sense of being socially attractive and easy to like.
charming
Charming suggests a strong, often deliberate appeal; personable is more about a natural, warm approachability.
likeable
Likeable means easy to like; personable emphasizes the social skills that make someone pleasant to be around.

Opposites

Word family

personable adjective
Having a pleasant and friendly manner.
personably adverb
In a pleasant and friendly manner. (Rare)
personality noun
The combination of characteristics that form a person's character.

Commonly confused: being personable or personal?

being personable vs personal

Personal means relating to a person's private life; personable means friendly and pleasant.

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