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Someone with opposing personality traits

English Language & Usage Asked by Anikin Remmington on February 9, 2021

I’m looking for a word for someone with personality traits that oppose each other. Not someone two-faced but more like someone who is two sides of a coin but a the same time; like shy but outgoing, dominant but submissive, selfish but generous, or vain but hates them self. A walking-talking oxymoron but that’s not the word I’m looking for either. It was used by a teacher to describe me but I cannot remember it.

Its either adj or n but I cant quite remember the context; something like:

You have a very insert word personality, or
Your conflicting personality makes you a insert word.

5 Answers

Maybe self-contradictory?

EDIT - My initial answer was the following, but I realise that this is incorrect:

Dare I say schizophrenic fits the bill - i.e. split personality? I think this not exactly what you are looking for, but it's pretty close.

Answered by asoundmove on February 9, 2021

You might say that the person is complex, or complicated.

This characterization is often used in situations where a person exhibits contradictory tendencies.

Urban Dictionary even has an entry for complicated:

When your emotions are constantly in conflict with each other, and you just want to escape the world.

Urban Dictionary

That said, these words are also used to describe a person who has a deep or nuanced personality, so they may be a bit more general than what you're after.

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Answered by GrimGrom on February 9, 2021

Conflicted

Your second example 'Your conflicting personality makes you a...' provides the clue; conflicted works as an adjective.

From the Oxford Living Dictionary:

as adjective conflicted:
Having or showing confused and mutually inconsistent feelings.
‘he remains a little conflicted about Marlene’

So as in your first example:

You have a very conflicted personality.

Answered by EleventhDoctor on February 9, 2021

is it enigmatic, by any chance?

Answered by salmonilium on February 9, 2021

Were you looking for diametrically opposing?

Answered by Angela Sutherland on February 9, 2021

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