extrovert

American  

[ek-struh-vurt, -stroh-] / ˈɛk strəˌvɜrt, -stroʊ- /

Also extravert

noun

• extroverts
  plural

1. an outgoing, gregarious person who thrives in dynamic environments and seeks to maximize social engagement.

2. Psychology. a person characterized by extroversion; a person concerned primarily with the physical and social environment.

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adjective

1. having a disposition that is energized through social engagement and languishes or chafes in solitude, resulting in a personality that is gregarious, outgoing, and sociable.

2. Psychology. marked by extroversion.

verb (used with object)

1. Psychology. to direct (the mind, one's interest, etc.) outward or to things outside the self.

extrovert British  

/ ˈɛkstrəˌvɜːt /

noun

1. a person concerned more with external reality than inner feelings

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adjective

1. of or characterized by extroversion

   extrovert tendencies

extrovert Cultural  

1. A term introduced by the psychologist Carl Jung to describe a person whose motives and actions are directed outward. Extroverts are more prone to action than contemplation, make friends readily, adjust easily to social situations, and generally show warm interest in their surroundings. (Compare introvert.)

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Usage

What does extrovert mean? An extrovert is someone said to have a personality type that is social and outgoing. The term extrovert is often contrasted with the term introvert in the study, classification, and popular discussion of personality types. Extroverts enjoy being around other people and tend to focus on the outside world, while introverts are the opposite—they prefer solitude and tend to focus on their own thoughts. Someone who’s an extrovert can be described as extroverted or as displaying extroversion. Less commonly, the word can be spelled extravert. Example: Giovanni was the kind of extrovert who gave everyone a personalized greeting upon entering the room.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• extroverted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• extroverts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of extrovert

First recorded in 1665–75; extro- + Latin vertere “to turn”

Explanation

An extrovert is a friendly person who enjoys talking to and being with other people. Extroverts love parties, talking on the phone, and meeting new people. This noun has a specialized sense in psychology, and its opposite is introvert. Psychologists sometimes kick it old school and spell it extravert. As a psychological term, it was borrowed from German extravertiert, from the prefix extra-, "outside, beyond" plus Latin vertere, "to turn." Thanks, Carl Jung! Its opposite is introvert, which means shy or turned inward.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

extrovert extroverts

Instead of feeling pressure, the extrovert appeared ecstatic simply to be performing on a global stage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026

Frost thinks it was an "incredibly ingenious decision" to make Carr a traitor "because he's giggly and extrovert and doesn't seem to be able to ever filter what he says or keep a secret".

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2025

“We may be a little bit reserved sometimes and not as outgoing or as extrovert as US people, but we are welcoming,” she says as she heads off to join her family.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2024

So I put the introvert next to the extrovert.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2024

Captain Flume had entered his bed that night a buoyant extrovert and left it the next morning a brooding introvert, and Chief White Halfoat proudly regarded the new Captain Flume as his own creation.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

For psychologist Amanda Potter, her concern is that recruiting via competition events tend to favour extroverts, and therefore put quieter personality types at a disadvantage.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

“For extroverts, that shows up as visible energy and vocal enthusiasm,” Chief People Officer Amanda Poole recalls colleagues who represent the company’s “Valuably Quiet” program telling supervisors at one workshop.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025

As much improv theater as it is mystery solving, The Dinner Detective involves much mixing and mingling; extroverts will thrive, introverts may wither a bit.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024

It could be, he added, that the researchers are “picking up on the development of extroversion, and extroverts are more likely to check their social media.”

From New York Times ● Jan. 3, 2023

Both Reginald and Mary were quiet types, and Ella and I were extroverts.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey