List of 200+ Descriptive Adjectives and Their Definitions
In our last post, we explored the importance of using the right descriptive words, and how doing so can help you write.
In this post, we venture away from any plural noun, adverb, or different words to improve your grammar. Instead, we are going heavy on descriptive adjectives.
We go over everything that YOU need to know!
We will go over the different types of adjectives – which is a good lesson for anyone – that will improve your English skills.
This list of descriptive adjectives includes many of the common, as well as some less common, adjectives used in creative writing, and they can be used in all types of writing.
The following list is organized alphabetically with the definitions listed first and the common uses for each adjective afterward.
We’ve also included examples to show how these descriptive words can be used.
But first! Let’s break down all the different types of adjectives. And how they can improve your English grammar.
- List of 200+ Descriptive Adjectives and Their Definitions
- Using Adjectives In Writing and Speech
- Types of Descriptive Adjectives
- WHAT ARE INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVES?
- WHAT ARE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE
- What Are quantitative adjectives?
- WHAT IS A COMPOUND ADJECTIVE?
- What is a limiting adjective?
- What is a qualitative adjective?
- WHAT IS A DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE?
- WHAT IS A DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE?
- WHAT ARE LIMITING ADJECTIVES
- WHAT IS A PREDICATE ADJECTIVE
- WHAT ARE PROPER ADJECTIVES?
- MEANING OF DETERMINER IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
- HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ADJECTIVE
- WHAT IS A LINKING VERB?
- LINKING VERB EXAMPLES
- LIST OF DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES AND THEIR DEFINITIONS
- PERSONALITY ADJECTIVES
- DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES FOR FOOD
- Good Descriptive Adjectives
- common adjective
- NATIONALITY ADJECTIVE
- List of different descriptive adjectives
- JUST FOR FUN SPANISH ADJECTIVES
- Just for More Fun Descriptive Adjectives French
Using Adjectives In Writing and Speech
When you’re describing something, it can be helpful to use adjectives. Adjectives are words that describe qualities or characteristics of a person, thing, or place. They can make writing more interesting and help you to clarify your ideas.
There are many different types of adjectives, but they all have one thing in common: they add detail to your writing or speech.
Let’s look at some examples.
The flowers are beautiful.
The flowers are red, orange, and yellow.
The flowers are big, brightly colored, and fragrant.
In the first sentence, the author simply states that the flowers are beautiful. But in the second sentence, the author adds more detail by describing the colors of the flowers. And in the third sentence, the author adds even more detail by describing the size, color, and fragrance of the flowers.
As you can see, adjectives can make your writing or speech more interesting and informative. So next time you’re describing something, try using some adjectives to help your readers or listeners visualize and understand what you’re saying.
Types of Descriptive Adjectives
WHAT ARE INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVES?
Interrogative adjectives ask a question about the subject word, for example, What, Who, When, Why. And they always start with a capital letter.
They usually begin with the letters W and H.
EXAMPLES OF INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVES
What do you think?
Which one do you like better?
Who was in charge of the order?
WHAT ARE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE
When you use “possessive adjectives” (my, your, our, its, her, his, and their) before a noun, you are giving more information about the noun that follows.
Your bike was stolen.
My homework is late.
What Are quantitative adjectives?
Quantitative adjectives are adjectives that indicate quantity or amount. They are used to describe how much of something is present. Some common quantitative adjectives are “few,” “many,” “much,” and “little.”
WHAT IS A COMPOUND ADJECTIVE?
Compound adjectives are a combination of two or more words used to modify a noun or pronoun. This can happen in different ways.
The first way is by using an adjective and noun together as one word.
Example:
big picture
simple math
flat roof
empty bucket
fun run
The second way is by using two adjectives together.
Example:
nice and warm
soft and gentle
new and popular
What is a limiting adjective?
A limiting adjective is an adjective that restricts the meaning of the noun it modifies to a particular type or group of things. For example, the adjective “unique” is a limiting adjective because it restricts the meaning of the noun it modifies to “one of a kind.”
This is a small room.
This is not a large room.
What is a qualitative adjective?
A qualitative adjective is an adjective that describes a quality or characteristic of a person, place, or thing.
Some qualitative adjectives are: blue, big, happy, and new.
WHAT IS A DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE?
Demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those) are adjectives that point out the noun by indicating a certain example.
Example:
It is this book.
That is a good book.
This is my house.
WHAT IS A DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE?
Demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those) are adjectives that point out the noun by indicating a certain example.
Example:
It is this book.
That is a good book.
This is my house.
WHAT ARE LIMITING ADJECTIVES
In descriptive writing, adjectives are limiting adjectives when they identify a noun without telling us anything about the thing being described. What are specifically limiting adjectives?
Let’s take a look at some examples:
The tall man
A good car
He ran fast
The small building
I have a big yard
She is a good student.
The words “tall,” “good,” and “big” tell us nothing about the people or things being described.
WHAT IS A PREDICATE ADJECTIVE
A predicate adjective is a word or phrase placed after a linking verb and used to describe someone or something.
HERE ARE EXAMPLES OF PREDICATE ADJECTIVES:
The water was cold. (cold is the predicate adjective)
He is a smart young man. (Young is the predicate adjective)
The students worked hard. (hard is the predicate adjective)
WHAT ARE PROPER ADJECTIVES?
Proper adjectives are used to describe nouns and they don’t even have to be a proper nouns:
Harry is a funny man.
The new dress looks pretty.
That was a fascinating movie.
In each case, the adjective (funny, pretty, fascinating) describes what kind of thing the noun is.
Simple Adjectives
A Simple Adjectives Adjectives add detail to a noun in their simplest form; by describing, identifying, or quantifying the person, place, thing, or idea that a noun represents.
MEANING OF DETERMINER IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
What is a determiner in Grammar A determiner is a word that is used before a noun or noun phrase to indicate whether the noun is specific or non-specific.
For example, The and An are determiners, as well as many other words such as my, some, these, our, etc.
They clarify and make more specific what the noun will refer to. Then, an and other similar words are called definite articles, because they can help to determine whether the noun is indefinite (referring to any member of a group) or definite (referring to a particular member of a group).
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ADJECTIVE
Do you sometimes find yourself struggling to choose the right adjective?
We know that choosing the right word to describe something that you are writing about is hard.
If you are a blog writer or use article writing services, descriptive words can really make a difference.
When you are writing an article, it is not just about describing the topic in your own words but doing it in an exciting way to wow your audience. How do you do so?
The answer is simple; use lots of adjectives!
An adjective is a word that describes a noun.
So, when you are writing, it is important to choose descriptive words so that your audience can have a clear image of what you are trying to describe.
It can be anything ranging from a person to an object and everything in between.
WHAT IS A LINKING VERB?
A linking verb, sometimes known as a connecting verb, is a type of verb that connects two different parts of a sentence.
It can link two clauses, or it can link a subject with a noun complement. As the term suggests, the verb links these phrases together.
The most common way to use linking verbs is within compound sentences.
Frequently, they’re used to connect two main clauses.
The main linking verb types are: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, and been.
LINKING VERB EXAMPLES
I like to read books, and I like to review them on my blog.
In this sentence, the first main clause uses the present tense version of “to like,” while the second clause uses the present tense version of “to review.”
Linking Verb: I am proud of you.
Controller Noun: My son is proud of his grades.
Linking verbs are also commonly used in conjunction with nouns to create a noun complement-a noun that characterizes the subject of a sentence.
LIST OF DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES AND THEIR DEFINITIONS
abashed – embarrassed, ashamed, shy, abashed
abstemious – moderate in eating and drinking, sparing
abrasive – causing irritation or anger
abstruse – difficult to comprehend; incomprehensible
academic – of or pertaining to or like a student or a scholar
accede – agree, yield, accede
accident – by chance, without intention
acclivity – upward slope, rise, incline
acclimate – accustom to a particular climate or to unfamiliar circumstances
accost – approach and speak to someone in a forward manner
accretion – growth by addition of small amounts. I love this descriptive adjective.
accrue – descriptive language for collect, gather together by natural growth or accumulation
acerbic – sour, bitter, sharp, cutting in a manner that wounds feelings
achromatic – colorless
acicular – long thin rod-shaped; needle-shaped
acidic – having or denoting the properties of an acid; sharp
acquiescent – submissive or acquiescent
acquisitive avid – grasping; greedy; eager to gain by taking from others
adamant – insistent on having one’s own way; inflexible in one’s attitude or opinion; unyielding; obstinate
adduct – draw toward
aesthetic – artistic, beautiful, or pleasing in appearance… etc.
B
Baboonish – Of or pertaining to the species of apes
Baffling – Confusing or hard to understand.”
Bacchanalian – very happy and lively.
Brittle – Crisp, delicate, and easily broken; easily fractured or snapped.
Brawny – Having great strength; muscular and powerful.
Brainy – Having exceptional intelligence.
Brackish – Moderately salty, as a small lake or an area of water.
Baleful – harmful: malignant.
Bull-headed – having a head that is difficult to influence or persuade
Broken-hearted – feeling or showing sorrow because of a loss or disappointment
C
Capacious – Apt to hold or contain; spacious.
Capacity – The power, ability, or opportunity to contain or hold.
Confused – not be clear in one’s mind; to have no clear idea or concept of a situation or thing.
Cautious – proceeding from careful thought or consideration; deliberate: a cautious speech; cautious advice.
Cheerful – means full of cheer, but a couple of synonyms are happy and smiling.
Clumsy – clumsy in a physical manner; ungraceful
Competent – the ability to do something at the right time and in the right way
Concerned – to worry about something or be anxious about it.
Consonant – A consonant is a speech sound
Certain – positive, definite, dependable.
Cheery – Just like cheerful, a couple of synonyms are happy and glad.
Clownish – characteristic of a clown; ludicrous; buffoonish; silly
Competent – having the skill and knowledge to do something well.
Conscientious – thorough, careful, and vigilant.
D
Daedal – something that is intricate, complex, and cleverly designed with many details or intricacies. A great descriptive adjective.
Darling – beloved one.
Dashing – lively, energetic, and charming.
Dastardly – fiendishly or scoundrel.
Disagreeable – Unlikely to agree.
Disastrous – resulting in a disaster.
Discouraging – To make somebody feel bad.
Disgusting – Gross.
Dishonest – Not honest.
Disillusioning – the feeling you get when your ideals are shattered.
Distant – Far away.
Distinctive – Something, especially a feature or quality that makes .someone or something stand out from the rest of a group.
Distorted – Not straightforward or direct; devious or deceitful; misleading or fallacious.
Displeasing – Causing displeasure or annoyance; annoying.
E
Eager – having or showing great desire, keenness, or impatience
Early riser – a person who gets up very early in the morning.
Easygoing – people who are relaxed and calm with their life, made easier with quotes by Epictetus..
Ebullient – filled with excitement and energy
Eccentric – deviating from the commonly or customarily accepted, usual, or normal.
Ecliptic – the process of omission.
Enthusiastic – having or showing great excitement and interest
Energetic – possessing or showing great energy
Excitable – easily excited
F
Fabulous – very good or excellent
Fantastic – extremely good or pleasing
Flawless – without any mistakes
Fetching – attractive or appealing
Fierce – very intense or powerful
Flattering – making someone look or feel good
Forgiving – willing to forgive someone’s mistakes
Friendly – pleasant and welcoming
Frisky – lively and playful
Freckle-faced – having many freckles
Fuzzy – covered with fuzz
Funny – amusing or humorous
H
Handsome – having a pleasing appearance
Hearty – vigorous and strong
Honest – truthful and sincere
Helpful: kindly disposed and willing to assist
Happy – contented and satisfied
Homey – having a comfortable and familiar atmosphere
Heavy-handed – using a lot of force
Heartless – without feeling or sympathy
Huge – very large
High-heeled – having a high heel
Halcyon – idyllically calm and peaceful
Hard – physically tough or robust
Hardworking – taking great pains to do one’s work conscientiously
Harmonious – having a pleasingly consistent sound or effect
Haunting – suggestive of the supernatural; ghostly
I
ill-mannered – behaving badly or rudely
Impatient – finding it difficult to wait for something
Inattentive – not paying attention
Inconsiderate – not thinking of other people’s feelings
Independent – not needing other people
Inflexible – not able to change your mind
Insensitive – not caring about other people’s feelings
Inexpensive – not costing a lot of money
Incredibly – extremely; so as to produce a strong impression
Intense – strong or vigorous; very severe or violent
inteligente – means “intelligent.”
L
Long-winded – having a lot to say; talking a lot
Loquacious – tending to talk a lot; very talkative
Lengthy – long in duration; taking a long time
Life-giving – giving life; supplying vitality or energy
M
Majestic: having or showing great beauty or nobility
Magnificent: very impressive or large
Marvelous: extremely good or pleasant
Metallic: of or relating to metals
Mysterious: difficult or impossible to understand or explain
Q
quaint – describes something that is old-fashioned and unusual
quick – describes something that is fast or that happens quickly
quiet – describes something that is calm and peaceful
quantitative – A word that describes the quantity of something.
S
Sarcastic – tending to mock or ridicule.
Sardonic – means having a sneering or cynical quality.
Short-tempered – easily angered
Sensitive – easily hurt emotionally or physically
Self-conscious – aware of and worried about how you look and act around other people
Self-centered – thinking only of oneself and one’s own interests
T
Thorough – Having or showing care in every detail; painstaking.
Terrific – good; excellent.
Tiny – Very small; tiny.
Tight-fisted – stingy, not generous with money
U
Ugly – not pretty or attractive
Unique – being the only one of its kind; not having a duplicate
Under – lower in rank, status, or quality
Understood – comprehended or grasped
Uninterested – not interested
Ubiquitous – being present everywhere at the same time
Unbelievable – too extraordinary or unlikely to be believed
Unpredictable – not able to be foreseen or predicted
PERSONALITY ADJECTIVES
Aggressive – of, relating to or marked by aggression
Active – positive words for ready and able to take action.
Adventurous – full of adventure: an adventurous journey.
Agreeable – a desire to be in agreement with others.
Ambitious – having a strong desire for success or achievement.
Analytical – Advanced or careful consideration
Artistic – creativity or original ideas in any field of artistic endeavor.
Assertive – characterized by a confident assurance and readiness to defend one’s opinions or actions.
Authoritative – of or relating to an authority: of recognized or accepted authority
Beautiful – handsome, pretty
Calm – Suitable for a situation that requires patience and quiet behavior.
Caring – Feeling or showing concern for the well-being of others
Charismatic – the quality of being alluring or attracting; drawing power
Clever – observant, expeditious, and ingenious
Cooperative – agreeable, willing to work together towards a common goal
Courteous – having or showing courtesy : polite
Curious – that describes a person who is curious or inquisitive.
Daring – having or showing a readiness to do bold or daring things
Decisive – acting with or characterized by quick, firm determination; resolute.
Deliberate – to think about something carefully.
Dependable – worthy of being depended on.
Meticulous – Having extreme attention to detail.
Rational – Making judgments based on reason rather than emotions.
Spontaneous – Not planned or premeditated.
Haughty – having or showing an offensively superior attitude; behaving as if you are better than other people
DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES FOR FOOD
I got an email from a friend who is a professional food writer, and she said “We’re often asked to describe a dish or a meal using only words that describe food”, and here is an example of some adjectives and positive words to describe food.
Appetizing
Palatable
Gourmet – only used in a singular form.
Glamorous
Tempting
Ambrosial
Delectable
Divine – Also only used in a singular form.
Delicious
Mouth-Watering
Yummy
Scrumptious
Savory
Sensuous
Dishy
Lovely
Sugary
Crackling – descriptive language for crisp, juicy, but not so sweet as to be cloying. Used to describe the fruit.
Creamy – Smooth, rich, not at all lumpy. Used more to describe different types of dessert items.
Substantial – healthy with enough protein and fiber
Light – low-calorie packaged foods ideal for dieting or reducing weight
Healthy – fresh produce, lean meats, whole grains
Low Carb Diet – cutting carbs from your diet and counting calories
Meat Eater-no plant-based items like fruits or vegetables.
Acidic – having acid
Bitter – having an unpleasantly sharp taste
Bland – tasteless or unseasoned
Buttery – of, or relating to butter; “buttery spread”; “a buttery flavor”
Citrusy – having the flavor of citrus fruit or juice.
Decadent – luxurious and sensuous; voluptuous
Delectable – very great pleasure and enjoyment from a meal.
Good Descriptive Adjectives
1. Beautiful
2. charming
3. funny
4. kind
5. helpful
6. intelligent
7. brave
8. strong
9. friendly
10. loving
common adjective
color
shape
size
kind
material
origin
pattern
purpose
NATIONALITY ADJECTIVE
Nationality adjectives examples – The noun adjectives that refer to nationality, or similar concepts.
American, Brazilian, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Russian, Spanish
List of different descriptive adjectives
1. Beautiful
2. ugly
3. pretty
4. handsome
5. lovely
6. cute
7. adorable
8. stunning
9. impressive
10. fantastic
JUST FOR FUN SPANISH ADJECTIVES
Note: This is just for fun, and while I think they are correct, I am not fluent in Spanish, and the gender rules might change them. So double check the gender rule and meaning before you use these adjectives.
Looking for Spanish Adjectives or want the definition of a Spanish adjective?
Follow these quick examples on how to find them and their definitions:
• ‘aburrido’ is a Spanish adjective meaning ‘boring’.
• ‘fuera’ is a Spanish adjective meaning ‘outside’.
• ‘fuertemente’ is a Spanish adjective meaning ‘strongly’.
• ‘Caliente’ is a Spanish adjective meaning ‘hot’.
• ‘Seguro’ is a Spanish adjective meaning ‘sure’.
• ‘grande’ is a Spanish adjective meaning ‘big’.
Bueno – Good.
Just for More Fun Descriptive Adjectives French
1. beau
2. bon
3. charmant
4. drôle
5. élégant
6. généreux
7. gentil
8. heureux
9. intelligent
10. intéressant
11. joli
12. lumineux
13. magnifique
14. mignon
15. passionnant
16. sympathique
17. talentueux
18. terrible
In conclusion, descriptive adjectives are words that describe the qualities or features of a person, place, or thing. They can be used to make writing more interesting and vivid, and to help the reader get a better understanding of what is being described. There are many different types of descriptive adjectives, and they can be used to create different effects.