neuroticism
C1Formal, Academic, Clinical
Definition
Meaning
A personality trait characterized by a tendency toward anxiety, emotional instability, and negative emotions like worry, fear, and sadness.
In psychology, a fundamental dimension of personality, defined by chronic emotional distress, self-consciousness, and vulnerability to stress. Outside technical contexts, it can refer to any pattern of behaviour seen as excessively anxious, obsessive, or emotionally unstable.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a psychological/clinical term. In everyday usage, it can be used informally as a near-synonym for being 'high-strung' or 'obsessive', but this can be imprecise. It describes a stable personality trait, not a temporary state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The concept is central to the same psychological theories (e.g., Big Five) in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally clinical/academic in both. Informal use might carry a slightly gentler, more descriptive tone in BrE, but this is subtle.
Frequency
Used with similar frequency in academic/psychological contexts. Slightly less common in general everyday conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Neuroticism is correlated with X.High neuroticism predicts Y.A score indicating significant neuroticism.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in HR/psychometrics: 'The candidate's high neuroticism score was a concern for the high-stress role.'
Academic
Central in psychology: 'The study examined the heritability of neuroticism across twin samples.'
Everyday
Informal, descriptive: 'His constant fretting about details borders on neuroticism.'
Technical
In clinical psychology/psychiatry: 'Neuroticism is a significant predictor for the development of generalised anxiety disorder.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- She has neurotic tendencies regarding cleanliness.
- His neurotic obsession with the schedule is exhausting.
American English
- That's a pretty neurotic way to organise your files.
- Her neurotic worrying about health is concerning.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- People with high neuroticism worry a lot.
- His neuroticism makes him very sensitive to criticism.
- Research shows neuroticism is linked to a higher risk of anxiety disorders.
- While some neuroticism can make you cautious, too much is debilitating.
- The longitudinal study controlled for baseline neuroticism when assessing the impact of stress on wellbeing.
- Her low score on neuroticism contributed to her remarkable resilience in the face of professional setbacks.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: NEURoticism starts like NEURon – it's about the nervous system being overly reactive, leading to anxiety.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE MIND IS A VOLCANO (prone to eruptions of negative emotion), A PERSONALITY IS A BUILDING (with neuroticism as a shaky foundation).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'невроз' (neurosis). Neuroticism is a personality trait; neurosis is a dated clinical diagnosis.
- Do not confuse with 'нервность' (nervousness), which is a temporary state, not a trait.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'neuroticism' to describe a single act of worry (incorrect: 'His neuroticism about the meeting was understandable.').
- Confusing it with 'psychoticism' (a different personality trait involving aggression and impulsivity).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is MOST closely associated with neuroticism?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Neuroticism is a broad, normally distributed personality trait. A neurosis is an outdated psychiatric term for a specific mental disorder involving anxiety or distress without psychosis.
Personality traits like neuroticism are relatively stable over a lifetime but are not fixed. With conscious effort, therapy (e.g., CBT), and lifestyle changes, individuals can learn to manage its negative expressions and become more emotionally resilient.
Not entirely. A moderate level can make individuals more vigilant, detail-oriented, and sensitive to potential threats. However, very high levels are strongly linked to psychological distress and poorer health outcomes.
It is typically measured using validated self-report personality inventories, such as the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) or the Big Five Inventory (BFI), where individuals rate their agreement with statements about their thoughts and feelings.