interpersonal
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
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.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of interpersonal
Compare meaning
How does interpersonal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Interpersonal refers to something involving, or occurring among several people. Interpersonal skills refer to our ability to get along with others. The adjective interpersonal really only has one meaning, so when you hear this word, you know you're hearing about interactions between people. Sometimes corporations find it useful to train their employees on any interpersonal skills they may be lacking, especially if they have a group of really socially awkward people, because it really does make the work environment a lot easier if your coworkers all get along with one another.
Vocabulary lists containing interpersonal
Dear Martin
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"CLEP Principles of Management," Vocabulary from Chapter 2
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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.
Her character wears legwarmers and knit wristlets to the office as protection against the air conditioning, which also serves to emphasize her company’s interpersonal chill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
We have to learn something from our last go-round, when social media did this giant experiment on our kids and left them de-skilled in conversation and in interpersonal relationships.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
“When kids replace human relationships with chatbots, they’re missing major learning opportunities to develop the interpersonal skills they’ll need for a lifetime.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
"Her ruminations on love, on romance, on sisterly love, on family dynamics, on interpersonal social dynamics - she's such a talent."
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The harm done by this social silence is more than interpersonal.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
