The distinctive qualities through which a person or thing expresses its own character.
Reach for it when celebrating difference without implying separation from a group
The choir's shared discipline still left room for each singer's individuality.
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm |
|
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
everyday
Fits when being unlike anything else is the direct point
Careful Uniqueness is absolute and may ignore how character is expressed.
warm
personality
Fits when recognizable personal character gives the work life
Careful Personality can describe temperament without highlighting distinctiveness.
professional
identity
Fits when a stable sense of who someone or something is matters
Careful Identity can be shared with a community, while individuality stresses distinction.
professional
Fits when newness and independence from imitation deserve praise
Careful Originality concerns ideas or style more than the whole individual.
formal
distinctiveness
Fits when observable difference from peers is the useful claim
Careful Distinctiveness sounds analytical and lacks individuality's human warmth.
literary
singularity
Fits when an unusually particular character deserves elevated wording
Careful Singularity can suggest strangeness or a mathematical concept.
express individuality
Hand-painted helmets let the riders express individuality within the safety code.
strong individuality
The small house has strong individuality despite its simple materials.
sense of individuality
Choosing her own colors restored a sense of individuality after years in uniform.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
Your browser isn't saving lists, so this one will be cleared when you leave the page.