Literary Terms For Character Development

noun a state or period of senile decay marked by decline of mental poise and alertness

• In his dotage, the elderly man struggled to remember simple tasks.
• My grandma is in her dotage now, but she still has a sharp wit.
• I hope I'm not in my dotage when I retire, I still want to have fun!
• The company's outdated policies are a sign of their dotage in the industry.

verb refraining from acting

adjective showing patient and unruffled self-control

• The teacher commended the student for being forbearing in the face of criticism.
• I admire how forbearing you are with your annoying coworker.
• She's so forbearing, she never lets anything get to her.
• The old tree stood forbearing in the storm, its branches bending but never breaking.

adjective feeling guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something

• The judge displayed a compunctious attitude towards the defendant's remorse.
• She felt compunctious about skipping her friend's birthday party.
• I'm not feeling very compunctious about bailing on the concert.
• His compunctious heart led him to make amends for his past mistakes.