Meaning & use
interpersonal
Last updated
UK/ˌɪntəˈpɜːsənəl/
US/ˌɪntɚˈpɝːsənəl/
Meaning
adjectivebefore a noun
Involving or happening between people, especially in how they communicate and get along.
Grammar: Always before a noun: interpersonal skills.
Patterns
- interpersonal skills
- interpersonal relationships
Good interpersonal skills help in any job.
The course covers interpersonal communication.
Conflict can damage interpersonal relationships.
Common combinations
- interpersonal skills
- Nurses need strong interpersonal skills.
- interpersonal relationships
- Stress affected his interpersonal relationships.
- interpersonal communication
- Interpersonal communication relies on listening.
- interpersonal conflict
- Interpersonal conflict slowed the team.
Synonyms and how they differ
- social
- Social is wider and covers society as a whole.
- relational
- Relational is more technical and about relationships.
- people-related
- People-related is informal and less precise.
Opposites
Word family
- interpersonally adverb
- in a way involving relationships among people
- personal adjective
- belonging to an individual
Commonly confused: interpersonal or intrapersonal? interpersonal or impersonal?
interpersonal vs intrapersonal
Intrapersonal means within one person's own mind.
interpersonal vs impersonal
Impersonal means cold and lacking warmth.
Practice
Which is an interpersonal skill?
Choose one answer.
Interpersonal skills involve interacting with people.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “interpersonal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.