interpersonal

American  

[in-ter-pur-suh-nl] / ˌɪn tərˈpɜr sə nl /

adjective

1. of or pertaining to the relations between persons.

   As a leader goes higher in an organization, commonly their technical skills are called upon less and less, while their interpersonal skills become more important.

2. existing or occurring between persons.

   It is unlikely that someone with paranoia will thrive in interpersonal relationships.

   She is trained and certified in the treatment of emotional trauma resulting from interpersonal violence.

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interpersonal British  

/ ˌɪntəˈpɜːsənəl /

adjective

1. between persons; involving personal relationships

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Other Word Forms

• interpersonally adverb

Etymology

Origin of interpersonal

First recorded in 1835–45; inter- + personal

Compare meaning

How does interpersonal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• interpersonal vs. intrapersonal

Example Sentences

Smart interpersonal relationships, a rare strong female character and a grounding in the contemporary politics of Columbia and Venezuela elevate this sophisticated hostage thriller from the writer of “The Hurt Locker.”

From The Wall Street Journal

This combination of reward-driven thinking and interpersonal connection appears to influence how people weigh honesty, potentially leading them to accept false information more easily in certain situations.

From Science Daily

“If you think about what the aughts were culturally, there was reverence and fear about technology and how it would affect our interpersonal relationships. This is all very familiar.”

From The Wall Street Journal

He, meanwhile, would be fascinated by people’s behavior and interpersonal relationships within a society.

From Los Angeles Times

“Embracing people and making people feel comfortable and like they belonged is nonviolence in an interpersonal way, and he practiced that,” Minato said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• social