disposition
Americannoun
-
the predominant or prevailing tendency of one's spirits; natural mental and emotional outlook or mood; characteristic attitude.
I'd like to thank the general manager for his hospitality, kindness, and always cheerful disposition.
- Synonyms:
- humor, temperament, makeup, nature
-
state of mind regarding something; inclination.
a disposition to gamble.
- Synonyms:
- proclivity, predisposition, tendency, bent
-
physical inclination or tendency.
the disposition of ice to melt when heated.
-
arrangement or placing, as of troops or buildings.
Strategists came to the conference with divergent views regarding the best disposition of Allied forces.
- Synonyms:
- placement, arrangement, grouping, order
-
final settlement of a matter, especially of a legal matter.
The accused was detained for seven months while awaiting disposition of his case.
In the event that we receive a formal complaint, we reserve the right to suspend service pending final disposition of the matter.
-
bestowal or transfer of care or ownership, as by a gift, sale, or bequest.
The patient expressed her intentions regarding the disposition of certain pieces of her property upon her death, including the farm scene painting.
-
the disposal or discarding of something, or the power to make decisions about use or disposal.
The final decision on the disposition of the deceased's body or remains belongs with the family.
- Synonyms:
- administration
-
regulation; management; dispensation.
the disposition of God.
noun
-
a person's usual temperament or frame of mind
-
a natural or acquired tendency, inclination, or habit in a person or thing
-
philosophy logic a property that consists not in the present state of an object, but in its propensity to change in a certain way under certain conditions, as brittleness which consists in the propensity to break when struck Compare occurrent
-
archaic manner of placing or arranging
Synonym Usage
Disposition, temper, temperament refer to the aspects and habits of mind and emotion that one displays over a length of time. Disposition is the natural or prevailing aspect of one's mind as shown in behavior and in relationships with others: a happy disposition; a selfish disposition. Temper sometimes denotes the essential quality of one's nature: a glacial temper; usually it has to do with propensity toward anger: an even temper; a quick or hot temper. Temperament refers to the particular balance of emotions determining a person's character: an artistic temperament.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of disposition
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English disposicioun, from Anglo-French or directly from Latin dispositiōn- (stem of dispositiō ), equivalent to disposit(us) (past participle of dispōnere “to distribute”; dispos- ( see dispose) + -itus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Someone's disposition is their mood or general attitude about life. If your friend woke up on the wrong side of the bed, tell her that she might need a disposition makeover. Disposition means the positive or negative way a person views the world. In contrast, your character is determined by your inner moral values, and your personality reflects what you're like as an individual. An animal with an excellent disposition is friendly towards people. If you are cheerful, you're often said to have a sunny disposition. Disposition can also mean "getting rid of something," so cleaning your room might involve the disposition of empty pizza boxes and soda cans.
Vocabulary lists containing disposition
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
ACT Vocabulary List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A comparison is either an argument for Bloom’s potential or a warning about its price, depending on your disposition.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Among them is the disposition effect, a behavioral investing phenomenon that causes people to sell their winners too early and hold on to losers for too long.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
This statue yassifies Trump, sucking out his buccal fat, virilizing his features, carefully excising all of the dainty feyness that, whether he likes it or not, is crucial to capturing the unique Trump disposition.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026
The key difference between them is the president’s personal disposition towards them.
From Salon • May 14, 2026
He’s an equal-opportunity moron with the disposition of a honey badger.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
