Is there a word to describe someone who rarely or almost never gets upset/angry? The words that first came to my mind were non-confrontational and stoic, and though they relate, they are not exactly what I'm looking for. The word I'm trying to find describes a person that not only possesses the qualities of being non-confrontational and stoic, but he basically doesn't get upset over anything whatsoever even the most upsetting situations imaginable. He is generally a pretty happy, calm and collected individual. Is there such a word?
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What's the problem with stoic? That's almost exactly what the word means.– Bradd SzonyeApr 23, 2013 at 22:37
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2@BraddSzonye I don't know, stoic means he is able to suffer pain or trouble without complaining or showing what he is feeling, but I guess the word I'm trying to look for describes the person who doesn't really see pain or unpleasant situations as something unbearable or horrible, but think ordinary of it and see it as an ability or merit, so he doesn't necessarily suffer at all, but instead feel proud. I don't know, I might not be making any sense here.– TheoApr 23, 2013 at 22:58
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1Other options include "imperturbable," "unruffled," "serene," and "impassive."– Sven YargsApr 23, 2013 at 22:59
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OK, that makes sense, and while that does correspond to a certain kind of stoicism, it's probably not the usual connotation. Unflappable and imperturbable are both good. Perhaps also a phrase like "unrelentingly positive."– Bradd SzonyeApr 23, 2013 at 23:02
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1"Serene" seems very good.– MetaEdApr 24, 2013 at 3:16
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11 Answers
Unflappable describes someone who remains composed in the face of adversity or scandal, "impossible to fluster."
Stoic has the same meaning, but often implies indifference to pleasure as well as adversity.
answered Apr 23, 2013 at 22:42
The state you describe is equanimity:
noun [mass noun]
calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation:
she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity
The adjective is equanimous.
adjective
calm and composed.
However it would not be the best choice in normal use. Google Ngram
answered Apr 23, 2013 at 22:49
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To avoid uses like "placid lake," I tweaked the Ngram to look for equanimous person, etc.. Turns out that equanimous is not used at all as an adjective for person, man, or woman. Placid is historically more common, but stoic overtakes it in recent years, and unflappable is about half as common. Apr 23, 2013 at 22:58
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This is a great example of a well-attributed posting. You put the copied-in text in a ">" section, you provide a link, and you provide the name of the provider.– tchrist ♦Jul 7, 2014 at 23:02
How about placid? From Merriam-Webster.com: Definition of PLACID:
serenely free of interruption or disturbance
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1Hi, and welcome to ELU! This is a good answer, although it would be better written as a statement (instead of a rhetorical question), with a link to the source you're quoting. See also How to Answer Questions. Apr 23, 2013 at 23:18
Easygoing.
Seán is really easygoing and it would take a lot to phase him.
Phlegmatic is another word that fits, although it fits 'stoic' better than 'happy':
From Google search definition: phlegmatic — (of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
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Where is that citation from? Please tell us the name of where you got it from, and if applicable, also a link. If you are going copy out text verbatim, our Help Center says that you must name where you got the original from, and this post fails to do that. Please see the question on meta entitled “What to do about missing source attributions: Copying, Linking, Attributions, and Plagiarism for discussion on this.– tchrist ♦Jul 7, 2014 at 23:03
Optimist:
op·ti·mist ˈäptəməst/
Noun: Philosophy
a person who believes that this world is the best of all possible worlds or that good must ultimately prevail over evil.
Oxford Dictionaries
Cool customer, e.g. someone who stays calm and does not show their emotions, even in a difficult situation (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cool-customer).
Such a person is also cool-headed, even-tempered or self-possessed.
answered Apr 22, 2014 at 9:51
A word to describe a pretty happy, calm and collected individual who rarely and almost never gets upset or angry?
Consider "good-tempered" and "sweet-tempered."
The lack of a conspicuous example makes this incrementally more difficult to answer. If you perhaps want some generic adjectival synonyms for "happy", my suggestions are amiable, blithe, and the always-applicable mild. Another (presumably) acceptable term that could be used in a similar manner is sweet-tempered. On a related note, you'd most likely be able to simply state that the person has a gentle disposition.
Additionally, if you'd appreciate a word that more specifically denotes optimism in regard to (and especially in) a difficult or severe situation, consider sanguine.
Amiable
a·mi·a·ble
|ˈāmēəb(ə)l|adjective
having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner.
Blithe
blithe
|blīT͟H,blīTH|adjective
showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.
- happy or joyous.
Mild
mild
|mīld|adjective
2. gentle and not easily provoked.
Sweet-Tempered
sweet-tem·pered
|ˌswētˈtempərd|adjective
not easily irritated or made angry.
Sanguine
san·guine
|ˈsaNGɡwən|optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.
I sincerely hope that this assists you. If anybody has an inquiry about the content of this post, please feel free to leave a comment about it -- I will respond as soon as I am able to.
Cool. Used to describe a person, this word doesn't need "headedness" for clarification. A former President has often been appropriately described as a person who exemplified this attribute.
