adjective

gregarious

grih-GAIR-ee-uhs

Gregarious (adjective) means Fond of company and naturally sociable, enjoying being among other people. Example: “He is gregarious and seems to know everyone in the building.”

adjective

Fond of company and naturally sociable, enjoying being among other people.

"He is gregarious and seems to know everyone in the building."

"A gregarious child, she made friends within an hour of arriving."

Of animals, living naturally in flocks, herds or colonies rather than alone.

"Starlings are highly gregarious birds and roost in enormous numbers."

How to use gregarious

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomeone who loves being around other people.

When to use it

Neutral to slightly formal; common in profiles, references and nature writing.

Memory tip

Do not confuse it with garrulous, which means excessively talkative.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

gregarious vs garrulous gregarious vs egregious

Common pairings

naturally gregarious gregarious personality gregarious species less gregarious

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He is _____ and seems to know everyone in the building.

Etymology

From Latin gregarius 'belonging to a flock', from grex, greg- 'flock, herd'.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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sociable outgoing convivial extroverted companionable social colonial herding

Antonyms

solitary reclusive antisocial withdrawn

Related words

only party social single happy alone friendly expense

Rhymes for gregarious

yous nous pious joyous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous tedious spurious

See all rhymes for gregarious →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between gregarious and extroverted?

Gregarious describes behaviour: liking company and seeking it out. Extroverted describes a personality type, usually meaning someone who gains energy from social contact. Most gregarious people are extroverted, but an extrovert can prefer small groups to crowds.

Is gregarious a compliment?

Generally yes. It suggests warmth and easy sociability rather than loudness. If you want the negative version, words like overbearing or attention-seeking do that work instead.

What is the meaning of gregarious?

"gregarious" (adjective) means fond of company and naturally sociable, enjoying being among other people.

What is another word for gregarious?

Other words for "gregarious" include sociable, outgoing, convivial, extroverted, companionable, social.

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