List of 200+ Descriptive Adjectives and Their Definitions
In our last post, we explored the importance of using the right , and how doing so can help you write.
In this post, we venture away from any , an , or to improve your . Instead we are going heavy on .
We go over everything that YOU need to know!
We will go over the different types of adjectives – which is a good for anyone – that will improve you .
This list of includes many of the common, as well as some less common, adjectives used in creative , and they can be used in all types of .
The following list is organized alphabetically with the definitions listed first and the common uses for each 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.
Table of Contents
What are interrogative adjectives?
ask a question about the subject , for , What, Who, When, Why. And they always start with a capital letter.
They usually begin with the letters W and H.
Examples of a
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 , you are giving more information about the that follows.
Your bike was stolen.
My homework is late.
What is a compound adjective.
Compound adjectives are a combination of two or more words used to modify a or . This can happen in different ways.
The first way is by using an and together as one .
:
big picture
simple math
flat roof
empty bucket
fun run
The second way is by using two adjectives together.
:
nice and warm
soft and gentle
new and popular
What is a demonstrative adjective?
Demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those) are adjectives which point out the by indicating a certain .
:
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 which point out the by indicating a certain .
:
It is this book.
That is a good book.
This is my house.
What are
In , adjectives are when they identify a without telling us anything about the thing being described. What are specifically ?
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
A is a or placed after a and used to describe someone or something.
Here are examples of Predicate Adjectives:
The water was cold . (cold is the )
He is a smart young man. (young is the )
The students worked hard. (hard is the )
What are ?
are used to describe nouns and they don’t even have to be a :
Harry is a funny man.
The new dress looks pretty.
That was a fascinating movie.
In each case the (funny, pretty, fascinating) describes what kind of thing the is.
A Adjectives add detail to a in their simplest form; by describing, identifying, or quantifying the , place, thing, or idea that a represents.
of in the
What is a in A is a that is used before a or to indicate whether the is specific or non-specific.
For , 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 will refer to. The, an and other similar words are called definite articles, because they can help to determine whether the is indefinite (referring to any member of a group) or definite (referring to a particular member of a group).
How to Choose the
Do you sometimes find yourself struggling to choose the ?
We know that choosing the right to describe something that you are about is hard.
If you are a blog writer or use article services, can really make a difference.
When you are 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 is a that describes a .
So, when you are , it is important to choose so that your audience can have a clear image of what you are trying to describe.
It can be anything ranging from a to an object and everything in between.
What is a ?
A , sometimes known as a connecting , is a that connects two different parts of a .
It can link two clauses, or it can link a subject with a complement. As the term suggests, the 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 types are: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been.
Examples
I like to read books, and I like to review them on my blog.
In this , the first main clause uses the present tense version of “to like,” while the second clause uses the present tense version of “to review.”
: I am proud of you.
Controller : My son is proud of his grades.
Linking verbs are also commonly used in conjunction with nouns to create a complement-a that characterizes the subject of a .
List of 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 .
accrue – 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.
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 ; cautious advice.
Cheerful – means full of cheer, but a couple of are happy, 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.
– A is a sound
Certain – positive, definite, dependable.
Cheery – Just like cheerful, a couple of 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 .
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 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 who gets up very early in the morning.
Easygoing – people who are relaxed and calm with their life.
Ebullient – filled with excitement and energy
Eccentric – deviating from the commonly or customarily accepted, usual, or normal.
Ecliptic – the process of omission.
Aggressive – of, relating to, or marked by aggression
Active – 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 – 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 – hat describes a 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
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 of some adjectives and to describe food.
Appetizing
Palatable
Gourmet – only used in .
Glamorous
Tempting
Ambrosial
Delectable
Divine – Also only used in .
Delicious
Yummy
Scrumptious
Savory
Sensuous
Dishy
Lovely
Sugary
Crackling – 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 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.
adjectives examples – The adjectives that refer to , or similar concepts.
1. American(a) 2. Antiguan 3. Argentine 4. Australian(a) 5. Austrian 6. Azerbaijani 7. Bahamian(a) 8. Barbadian 9. Belgian 10. Belizean(a) 11. Bermudan(a) 12. Bifrench 13. Bolivian(a) 14. Brazilian(a) 15. British (Briton, Briton, U.K., U.K.) 16. Bruneian 17. Bulgarian 18. Burkinabe [Burkina Faso] 19 . Cambodian(a) [Cambodia] 20 . Canadian(a) [Canada] 21 . Cape Verdean(a) [Cape Verde Islands] 22 .
Just for fun
Note: This is just for fun, and while I think they are correct, I am not fluent in Spanish, and the rules might change them. So double check the rule and before you use these adjectives.
Looking for or want the definition of a Spanish ?.
Follow these quick examples on how to find them and their definitions:
• ‘aburrido’ is a Spanish ‘boring’.
• ‘fuera’ is a Spanish ‘outside’.
• ‘fuertemente’ is a Spanish ‘strongly’.
• ‘caliente’ is a Spanish ‘hot’.
• ‘seguro’ is a Spanish ‘sure’.
• ‘grande’ is a Spanish ‘big’.
About This SIte
Hi! I’m Stephen Schreck! A travel addict, wordsmith, and shutterbug.
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