19 Good Topics For A Definition Essay To Catch Your Professor's Eye

Definition essays can be easy enough - sometimes even a bit dull. If you want to draw a bit more attention to your writing and try something a bit different, then try one of these 19 topic ideas that will certain get you noticed by your professor.

  1. Goodness
  2. The exact nature of goodness is something that has been debated since Ancient times.

  3. Self-confidence
  4. Often self-confidence can seem like arrogance and the other way around. What defines self-confidence?

  5. Happiness
  6. This debate is still raging on because it is such a difficult one.

  7. Trust
  8. Trust is such a multi-faceted thing that getting just one definition is very tricky.

  9. Artist
  10. With so many different types, what makes an ‘artist’ is hard to capture exactly.

  11. Racist
  12. What makes someone racist? What do they have to do, say and think?

  13. Sexist
  14. Is there any justified discrimination?

  15. Animal
  16. Are humans animals? Does anything set us apart from other animals?

  17. Marriage
  18. What makes a marriage? Is it just a legal term or something more?

  19. Faithfulness
  20. What makes someone faithful as opposed to faithless? To what extent can ‘trust’ be defined in the same way?

  21. Humour
  22. What makes something funny? Is humour subjective?

  23. Peace of mind
  24. Everyone gets peace of mind in different ways. Does this make it different for everyone?

  25. Respect
  26. What does it mean to respect someone? Does respect depend on the circumstances you are in?

  27. Right to privacy
  28. This is a great one to right about in light of the recent leaks of nude photos of celebrity. Is the right to privacy universal? If not, is it a ‘right’?

  29. Charisma
  30. This loose term has evaded exact definition for years.

  31. Optimism
  32. Is it optimism, pessimism or realism? What does it mean to be optimistic?

  33. Courage
  34. Once again, this is a topic that has been debated hotly since ancient times and is yet to be perfectly captured.

  35. Success
  36. ‘Success’ means something different to everyone. Can it have just one definition, or are there many? Is there even as many as one definition per person in the world?

  37. Intelligence
  38. What makes a person intelligent? Is it the same or different from a person being ‘clever’? Does it have to do with grades and academia, or with being street smart and worldly-wise?