- How to Form Compound Adjectives?
- When to Use a Hyphen?
Compound adjectives are two or more compound words that act as an adjective, i.e., modify the same noun together.
Example
Explanation
Operating in a fast-paced work environment can be stressful.
Fast-paced is a compound adjective.
How to Form Compound Adjectives?
Rule 1: Compound adjectives can contain two singular adjectives, but we can also use other parts of speech to form compound adjectives.
Here is an overview of several different types of compound adjectives:
| Parts of Speech | Compound Adjective |
|---|---|
| adjective + noun / noun + adjective | long-distance, short-term / gluten-free, vegan-friendly |
| number + noun | first-time, fifteen-minute |
| adjective + present participle / adjective + past participle | foreign-speaking, fast-growing / double-checked, deep-fried |
| noun + present participle / noun + past participle | eye-catching, self-criticising / sun-kissed, homemade |
| noun + noun | waterproof, round-neck (top) |
| adverb + past participle | overcrowded, sufficiently insulated |
When to Use a Hyphen?
Usually, compound adjectives need hyphens to avoid confusion or ambiguity, but there are also exceptions.
Rule 2: Certain compound adjectives, also known as open or closed compound adjectives, do not need hyphens even when placed before a noun.
Example
Explanation
He doesn’t do pro bono work anymore because it made him feel overworked.
Pro bono is an open compound adjective and overworked is a closed compound adjective.
Rule 3: We use hyphens in compound adjectives that contain numbers.
Example
Explanation
We’re going on a three-day trip.
Three-day is a compound adjective that contains number three, so it needs a hyphen.
Note: If the number comes second in a compound adjective, it doesn’t need a hyphen.
Example
Explanation
My mother has a Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 is a compound adjective that contains number 2, but it doesn’t need a hyphen because it comes second.
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Rule 4: We always use hyphens in compound adjectives that begin with a comparative or superlative if they come before the nouns they modify.
Example
Explanation
They only use the highest-quality ingredients in their dishes.
The highest-quality is a compound adjective that begins with a superlative the highest and comes before the noun ingredients, so it needs a hyphen.
Note: When such a compound adjectives comes after the noun it modifies, it doesn’t need a hyphen.
Example
Explanation
The ingredients were of the highest quality.
The highest quality comes after the noun ingredients, so it doesn’t need a hyphen.
Rule 5: We don’t use hyphens in compound adjectives if they start with adverbs.
Example
Explanation
You doors and windows should be tightly sealed to avoid drafts.
Tightly sealed is a compound adjective that starts with an adverb tightly, so it doesn’t need a hyphen.
Rule 6: We usually use hyphens in multiple-word compound adjectives.
Example
Explanation
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to choosing a career path.
One-size-fits-all is a multi-word compound adjective. By the way, multi-word is also a compound adjective.
Quiz
Form a compound adjective correctly. She is interested in ___ photography.
Adjectives are used to modify nouns or pronouns in a sentence. There are many different types of adjectives; each one has a slightly different purpose. Sometimes, adjectives may even be made up of more than one word. These types of adjectives are known as compound adjectives.
Compound adjectives are a type of neologism — referring to the coining and creation of new words. They are formed by combining two or more words together.
Compound adjectives: definition
What are compound adjectives? Take a look at the definition below:
Compound adjectives are adjectives made up of more than one word (usually two, but sometimes three). They are used to modify the noun or pronoun in a sentence, so they have the same function as single-word adjectives.
Compound adjectives do not have to be made up of only adjectives; other word forms can combine to form compound adjectives (such as nouns and adjectives, adverbs and past participles, etc.).
The word «single-word» is an example of a compound adjective!
Fig. 1 — Snow could be described as «ice-cold.» This is an example of a compound adjective.
Compound adjectives: rules
Compound adjectives are used to modify nouns or pronouns. They can be placed before the noun/pronoun in a sentence. For example:
«My long-term goal is to stay happy.»
In this sentence, the compound adjective «long-term» is used to modify the noun «goal.»
Alternatively, they can also come after the noun/pronoun. For example:
«This playground is child-safe.«
In this sentence, the compound adjective «child-safe» is used to modify the noun «playground.»
Compound adjectives: using the hyphen
Compound adjectives often use hyphens to let the reader know they should be read as one unit instead of two different words. In particular, compound adjectives are usually hyphenated when they come before a noun or pronoun in a sentence. For example:
«I’m baking a gluten-free cake.»
However, compound adjectives do not always need to be hyphenated if their meaning is still clear without one. They’re usually not hyphenated when they come after a noun or pronoun. For example:
«This cake is gluten-free» VS. «This cake is gluten free.»
Both of these sentences can be understood regardless of the use of a hyphen.
Keep in mind that when using hyphens, it is often a matter of personal preference. But, in some instances, it is easier to hyphenate compound adjectives if the meaning could be misunderstood. These misunderstandings may be more common among non-native speakers of English, as they may mistake a compound adjective for two separate words, which can change the meaning of a sentence.
Take the sentence, «I saw a fish eating bear.»
Without the hyphen, it could seem as though the fish is eating a bear.
When a hyphen is used, the meaning of the sentence is made clearer:
«I saw a fish-eating bear.»
It is clear that the sentence is referring to a bear that eats fish.
Compound adjective: examples
There are different types of compound adjectives made with words from different word classes. It is important to know that just because they are called compound adjectives, this does not mean they only contain adjectives.
Compound adjectives simply act as an adjective in a sentence, but they can consist of words from other word classes. Take a look at some examples of different types of compound adjectives below:
Adjective Noun
| Example | Sentence |
| Last-minute | «I’m planning a last-minute trip to New York.» |
| Long-distance | «The long-distance flight was tiring.» |
| High-quality | «The TV played high-quality videos.» |
| Short-term | «Think about your short-term plan.» |
Adjective Present Participle (verb form ending in «ing»)
| Example | Sentence |
| Good-looking | «He’s a good-looking guy.» |
| Easy-going | «Some would say I’m easy-going.» |
| Tight-fitting | «I want to buy some tight-fitting jeans.» |
| Long-running | «Les Miserables is a long-running theatre show.» |
Adjective Past Participle (verb form usually ending in «ed»)
| Example | Sentence |
| Old-fashioned | «The clothes she wore were quite old-fashioned.» |
| Open-minded | «My family is open-minded.» |
| Quick-witted | «Her quick-witted sense of humor makes people laugh.» |
| Short-lived | «That idea was short-lived.» |
Noun Adjective
| Example | Sentence |
| Family-friendly | «This resort is family-friendly.» |
| Child-free | «Enjoy a child-free trip away.» |
| World-famous | «The Beatles were a world-famous band.» |
| Sugar-free | «The sugar-free brownies are surprisingly good.» |
Noun Present Participle
| Example | Sentence |
| Mind-numbing | «After another mind-numbing conversation, I was ready to go to sleep.» |
| Record-breaking | «The fastest car in the world went a record-breaking 763 miles an hour.» |
| Time-consuming | «Writing essays can be time-consuming but very rewarding.» |
| Thought-provoking | «He asked a thought-provoking question.» |
Noun Past Participle
| Example | Sentence |
| Middle-aged | «A middle-aged man crossed the street.» |
| Sun-dried | «The sun-dried tomatoes are the best.» |
| Wind-powered | «Many boats are wind-powered.» |
| Tongue-tied | «I was tongue-tied when I met a celebrity.» |
Adverb Past Participle
| Example | Sentence |
| Well-behaved | «The puppy is well-behaved.» |
| Brightly-lit | «The brightly-lit room felt uninviting.» |
| Highly-respected | «The highly-respected university professor has been working for many years.» |
| Well-known | «Germany is well-known for its beer and sausages.» |
Number Noun
| Fifteen-minute | «You need to do a fifteen-minute presentation.» |
| Four-story | «I live in a four-story building.» |
| Ninety-page | «She had to memorize a ninety-page monologue.» |
| Five-star | «We were staying at a five-star hotel.» |
Note that compound adjectives with numbers must only include a singular noun. For example, saying «I live in a four-story building» is grammatically correct, but «I live in a four-stories building» is not. This is because «story» is singular, and «stories» is plural.
Fig. 2 — You may write a «ten-page» essay, but not a «ten-pages» essay!
Three-word compound adjectives with hyphens
Although they are not as common, some compound adjectives contain three words. In this case, the conjunctions «and» or «of» are usually used between two other words. All three words must be hyphenated to show they are one unit of meaning instead of three separate words. For example:
| Three-word compound adjective | Example sentence |
| Matter-of-fact | «She spoke in a matter-of-fact way about politics.» |
| Salt-and-pepper | «His salt-and-pepper hair was attractive.» |
| Happy-go-lucky | «He’s a happy-go-lucky person.» |
It is worth mentioning that compound adjectives are not the only type of compound word. For example, another type of compound word is a compound noun.
Compound nouns function as nouns in a sentence and are made up of two or more words. A few examples are:
- bedroom
- raincoat
- toothpaste
Compound nouns are often written as one word without hyphens (but not always).
Compound Adjectives — Key takeaways
- Compound adjectives are adjectives made up of more than one word (usually two, sometimes three).
- Compound adjectives are used to modify the noun or pronoun in a sentence.
- Compound adjectives can comprise different word classes. Some different types of compound adjectives are:
- adjective + noun, adjective + present participle, adjective + past participle
- noun + adjective, noun + present participle, noun + past participle
- adverb + past participle
- number + noun
- Compound adjectives often use hyphens (especially if they come before the noun), as this lets the reader know that they are a single unit of meaning and not two separate words. Hyphens are not always needed and often aren’t used when the compound adjective comes after the noun.
- Although not as common, compound adjectives can also consist of three words. Three-word compound adjectives always use hyphens.
What are Compound Adjectives?
Compound Adjectives are simply defined as, “two or more words that are combined to act as an adjective in the sentence”. Here, the meaning of “compound” is nothing but the combination of two or more words.
It is also called “Compound Modifier” and “Hyphenate Compound Adjective” because the symbol Hyphen (-) is used for the combination of the words to make an Adjective in the sentence.
Some examples are open-minded, old-fashioned, kind-hearted, well-educated, part-time, etc.
Generally, the words can have either one or more hyphens. For example,
- Brand-new (contains only 1 hyphen)
- Two-year-old (contains 2 hyphens)
- One-of-a-kind (contains 3 hyphens)
Compound Adjective Examples
Here are some of the example sentences that are useful to refer to know more about Compound Adjectives.
- Daniel works at Harvard University as a part-time professor.
- My dad always likes to wear old-fashion clothes.
- Michael Jackson is a well-known dancer in the world.
- Deep-fried foods are tastier, but not healthier for the body and mind.
- Brian is a French-speaking person.
- M.S. Dhoni is one of the right-handed batsmen in cricket.
- Alex always loves to take rides in his brand-new sports car.
- Communication skills are very important in today’s fast-paced world.
Also Read: What is Adjective in English Grammar? (Easy Definition and Examples)
The adjective is a type of word which describes or modifies the noun. It is also defined as, the word which describes the qualities and states of beings of nouns.
It measures the qualities like size, shape, colour, duration, behaviour, quantity, and a lot more. Furthermore, it usually provides additional information on nouns with the below-mentioned qualities, like…
Types of Compound Adjective
There are different types of Compound Adjectives in which different parts of speech, which are shown in the below table.
|
Part of Speech |
+ |
Part of Speech |
= |
Examples |
|
Number |
+ |
Noun |
= |
Two-wheel, first-place, seventeenth-century |
|
Noun |
+ |
Noun |
= |
Part-time, south-west, bullet-proof |
|
Noun |
+ |
Adjective |
= |
World-famous, sky-blue, sugar-free |
|
Noun |
+ |
Past Participle |
= |
Old-age, sun-dried, sun-backed |
|
Noun |
+ |
Present Participle |
= |
Hindi-speaking, record-breaking, time-saving |
|
Adjective |
+ |
Noun |
= |
Long-term, third-time, short-distance |
|
Adjective |
+ |
Adjective |
= |
Fat-free, big-blue |
|
Adjective |
+ |
Past Participle |
= |
Old-fashioned, narrow-minded, cold-blooded |
|
Adjective |
+ |
Present Participle |
= |
Fast-walking, good-looking, long-lasting |
|
Adverb |
+ |
Past Participle |
= |
Densely-populated, lightly-cooked, deeply-rooted |
|
Adverb |
+ |
Present Participle |
= |
Never-ending, backward-thinking |
Examples of Compound Adjectives (with Parts of Speech)
1) Time Period/Duration (number + Noun): When we are using a compound adjective word with a number, then this word should refer to the time duration in singular form with a hyphen.
- I work ten hours every day –> I work a ten-hour day.
- I’m going on holiday for two weeks –> I have a two-week holiday
- There was a delay of ten seconds –> There was a ten-second delay
Note: We normally write the number as a word, not in numerical form.
2) (Noun + Noun): When the word contains two nouns, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- John is earning well from his part-time job.
- Goa State is located in the South-West region of India.
- The cars used by the VIPs and political leaders are bullet-proof.
3) (Noun + Adjective): When the word contains a noun and adjective, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- I always prefer to have a sugar-free diet.
- Christopher Nolan is one of the world-famous film directors.
- This is a smoke-free restaurant.
4) (Noun + Past Participle): When the word contains a noun and Past Participle, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- Helping old-age people is a good manner.
5) (Noun + Present Participle): When the word contains a noun and Present Participle, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- The majority of the people are Hindi-speaking in India.
- The song “Despacito” has become a record-breaking song on YouTube.
- The celebrity was amazed by the interviewer’s thought-provoking questions that were asked to him.
6) (Adjective + Noun): When the word contains an Adjective and Noun, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- Sofia did a few long-term investments to grow financially.
- He made a last-minute decision to decide a spot for the picnic.
- The full-length version of the song is leaked on YouTube before its official release.
7) (Adjective + Adjective): When the word contains two adjectives, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- Honey is one of the popular fat-free foods.
(Adjective + Past Participle): When the word contains an Adjective and Past Participle, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- John is a narrow-minded person.
- Turtles are cold-blooded animals.
- He still likes to wear old-fashioned clothes.
9) (Adjective + Present Participle): When the word contains an Adjective and Present Participle, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- He is a good-looking person.
- Snails are slow-moving insects.
- Natural Honey is a long-lasting food and doesn’t get spoiled.
10) (Adverb + Past Participle): When the word contains an Adverb and Past Participle, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- Maharashtra is one of the high densely populated states in India.
- This is a brightly-lit room.
11) (Adverb + Present Participle): When the word contains an Adverb and Present Participle, then use a hyphen in between to make it a compound adjective.
- It is a very hot day.
- He is an extremely intelligent boy.
Basic Rules of Compound Adjectives
Rule 1: There are some exceptions/limitations for using hyphens.
1) Most of the words of Compound Adjectives contain a hyphen, but some of them don’t have it.
Certain compound adjectives don’t need hyphens, even if they come before a noun in a sentence. In other words, if two (or more) words are used separately and not as a compound adjective, then don’t use a hyphen. For example,
Example Sentences:
- The food was undercooked but tasted good.
- It was a terribly cold day.
- It is an amazingly good idea.
2) Don’t use hyphens when an adjective is being modified by an adverb. Refer to the examples below.
Example Sentences:
- She became extremely tired after her workout.
- They were really happy about winning the match.
- They were cautiously optimistic about their business deal.
3) In addition, you should not place a hyphen in a compound adjective if the adjectives are capitalized. For example, when it is a part of a title or heading.
4) When there is the use of the conjunction “and” between the two adjectives or words, then a hyphen isn’t necessary.
- It is a big old type of mansion.
Since the two words “big” and “blue” are two adjectives, we can also write the sentence as mentioned below,
- It is a big and old type of mansion.
5) Don’t use the hyphen(s) between numerical and non-letter symbols, or between a numerical and a metric unit symbol.
- A 180° scale
- 100° C thermometer
- a 2.05 m high jump
6) Don’t use a hyphen(s) only when they contain superlatives after the noun.
- The food that I had yesterday was well-cooked.
7) Most compound modifiers that include an adverb that ends with (-ly) should not be hyphenated.
- Rapidly inclining confidence
- incredibly combative method
- exceptionally delicious cake –> adverb (exceptionally) ends with -ly
- widely known author –> adverb (widely) ends with -ly
Note: Adverbs that don’t end with (-ly) should be hyphenated if they appear before the noun or pronoun they are modifying. Only if they appear after the noun or pronoun, they should not be hyphenated.
Rule 2: Use Hyphens, especially in certain conditions such as,
Condition 1: When compound adjectives contain numbers.
- A thirteen-year-old boy breaks the world record for the fastest time to solve three cubes while juggling.
- A 5-lb of flour.
- Two 6-ft timber trees.
Note: When the unit measurement is represented by an abbreviation, use numerals.
Condition 2: Use a hyphen(s) only when they contain superlatives before the noun. You can also refer to condition 6 in rule 1.
- It turned out to be a very high-stress job.
- John was more well-suited to his job than Steve.
Rule 3: The Compound Adjective can be used anywhere in the sentence, even before or after the noun, while describing it.
- Before Noun: Our office is in a twenty five-storey building.
- After Noun: The food that I had yesterday was healthy and sugar-free.
In the above 1st sentence, the word which contains the noun is “building” and in the 2nd sentence the noun is “food”.
Quiz Time!
#1. I just finished writing an ___________ essay for my project work.
20 page
20 page
20-page
20-page
Answer: 20-page
Explanation: The compound adjective (20-page) is before the noun it modifies (paper), so it should be hyphenated.
#2. «This is a four foot table». Identify the sentence whether it should contain hyphen in between «four foot» or not?
Yes, it should contain
Yes, it should contain
No, it doesn’t contain
No, it doesn’t contain
#3. Identify the correct option.
My brother is two-years-old
My brother is two-years-old
My brother is two-years old
My brother is two-years old
My brother is two years-old
My brother is two years-old
My brother is two years old
My brother is two years old
Answer: My brother is two years old.
Explanation: Old is still an adjective describing “brother”, but “two” describe years and years describe “old”.
#4. The weather has been ___________________ lately.
terribly-cold
terribly-cold
terribly cold
terribly cold
too cold
too cold
#5. oday’s lecture was _______________.
exceptionally interesting
exceptionally interesting
exceptionally-interesting
exceptionally-interesting
Answer: Don’t use a hyphen when the adjective phrase (exceptionally interesting) includes an adverb that ends with a -ly.
#6. Identify the correct sentence from the below options.
My ten-year old sister loves puppies.
My ten-year old sister loves puppies.
My ten-year-old sister loves puppies.
My ten-year-old sister loves puppies.
My ten year old sister loves puppies.
My ten year old sister loves puppies.
My ten year-old sister loves puppies.
My ten year-old sister loves puppies.
#7. «That was a record-breaking jump». Identify the type of Compund Adjective.
Noun + Present Participle
Noun + Present Participle
Noun + Past Participle
Noun + Past Participle
Ajective + Noun
Ajective + Noun
Noun + Adjective
Noun + Adjective
Answer: Noun Present Participle
Explanation: The action that is taking place at present (-ing).
#8. I am thinking about getting a ____________ truck.
brand-new
brand-new
brand new
brand new
Answer:
Explanation: The compound adjective (brand new) is before the noun it modifies (truck), so it should be hyphenated.
#9. Identify the correct Sentence.
They enjoyed a three-year profit streak.
They enjoyed a three-year profit streak.
They enjoyed a three-year-profit streak.
They enjoyed a three-year-profit streak.
They enjoyed a three-year-profit-streak.
They enjoyed a three-year-profit-streak.
They enjoyed a three year profit streak.
They enjoyed a three year profit streak.
#10. Choose the correct statement from the below options.
She is an extremely-intelligent-girl.
She is an extremely-intelligent-girl.
She is an extremely intelligent-girl.
She is an extremely intelligent-girl.
She is an extremely-intelligent girl.
She is an extremely-intelligent girl.
She is an extremely intelligent girl.
She is an extremely intelligent girl.
Answer: She is an extremely intelligent girl.
Explanation: Never put a hyphen between an adverb and an adjective (not even before a noun).
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Summary: (Compound Adjectives)
- The two or more words that are compounded (combined) to act as an adjective in the sentence are known as compound adjectives.
- It is also called “Hyphenated Compound Adjective” or “Compound Modifier”.
- Examples of Compound Adjectives are well-known, first-place, three-week, one-of-a-kind, five-year-old, etc.
- There are different types of Compound adjectives, which are combinations of different parts of speech that contains a noun, adjective, adverb, etc.
- The hyphen symbol (-) is mainly used in between the words of Compound Adjectives.
- The hyphen should be used, especially when it contains numbers and the unit measurement is abbreviated.
- The hyphen should not be used when two (or more) words are used separately and not as a compound adjective and when an adjective is being modified by an adverb.
- It shouldn’t also be used when conjunctions are considered and between numerical and non-letter symbols.
If you are interested to learn more, then you can refer to Wikipedia here.
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What is the rule when it comes to using either the present or past participle in two word adjectives?
adjectiveadverb + past participle:
well-built
hard-boiled
badly-desinged
adjectiveadverb + present participle:
good-looking
foul-smelling
easy-going
When do we use which?
AnonymousWhat is the rule when it comes to using either the present or past participle in two word adjectives?
There is no rule. Those are fixed forms. If you pick them apart by reversing the word order, they may make more sense to you.
well-built — it is built well
hard-boiled — it is boiled (until it is) hard [This one may be used metaphorically of people.]
badly-designed — it is designed badly
good-looking — it looks good
foul-smelling — it smells foul
easy-going — he/she «goes easy» [This one is inherently metaphoric.]
The words ‘present’ and ‘past’ as applied to participles have often been spoken of as misnomers, by the way, and justly so. They are actually active and passive participles. Note that the first three of your examples are related to passive constructions and the last three are related to active constructions.
CJ
CalifJimThe words ‘present’ and ‘past’ as applied to participles have often been spoken of as misnomers, by the way, and justly so. They are actually active and passive participles. Note that the first three of your examples are related to passive constructions and the last three are related to active constructions.
Excellent point!
Vocabulary Builder Course
Have you ever noticed some English words with hyphens between them? For example:
- a well-known author
- an English-speaking country
- a three-hour movie
- a part-time job
- a middle-aged woman
These are called compound adjectives – meaning an adjective that has two or more words.
In this lesson, you’re going to learn some of the most compound adjectives with example sentences.
Compound Adjectives with Numbers
- three-second
There’s a three-second delay. - ten-minute
Let’s take a ten-minute break. - two-hour
She attended a two-hour seminar. - five-day
He went on a five-day trip. - six-week
We took a six-week course. - one-month
The penalty for cheating is a one-month suspension. - two-year
I have a two-year contract with my cell phone provider. - four-year-old
I have a four-year-old son. - twelve-storey
We live in a twelve-storey apartment building - twenty-page
He handed me a twenty-page report.
Common Error: adding -S
Don’t use -s at the end of compound adjectives with numbers:
- Let’s take a ten-minutes break.
- Let’s take a ten-minute break.
Adjective / Adverb + Past Participle
- narrow-minded = not open to different ideas/thoughts
I can’t stand narrow-minded people who are intolerant of new ideas. - well-behaved
They have three well-behaved children. - old-fashioned
We had lunch in an old-fashioned restaurant with décor from the 1950s. - densely-populated
This densely-populated area has the highest crime rates in the country. - short-haired
He was dancing with a short-haired woman. - widely-recognized
She’s a widely-recognized expert in technology. - high-spirited = with a lot of energy
The students gave a high-spirited musical performance. - well-educated
A lot of well-educated people are still having trouble finding jobs. - highly-respected
Our speaker tonight is a highly-respected scholar. - brightly-lit
We live on a brightly-lit street in the city center. - absent-minded = forgetful, not thinking
His absent-minded comment hurt his sister’s feelings. - strong-willed = strong desires, stubborn, does not desist
She’s a strong-willed woman who won’t stop until she gets what she wants. - quick-witted = intelligent, clever, fast at thinking and discovering things
The quick-witted detective solved the crime before anyone else had a clue. - middle-aged = around 40-50 years old
A lot of middle-aged men are dissatisfied with their lives. - kind-hearted = friendly
A kind-hearted stranger helped us find the train station.
Adjective / Adverb / Noun + Present Participle (-ING)
- good-looking = attractive, beautiful, handsome
Who’s that good-looking guy over there? - long-lasting
This long-lasting makeup will keep you looking lovely day and night. - record-breaking
The athlete’s record-breaking performance won him the gold medal. - never-ending
Learning a language seems to be a never-ending process. - mouth-watering
There was a variety of mouth-watering desserts at the wedding reception. - thought-provoking
It was a thought-provoking novel. - slow-moving
I was stuck in slow-moving traffic for over an hour. - far-reaching
The new law will have far-reaching effects in the economy. - time-saving
These time-saving techniques will help you work more efficiently. - forward-thinking
Some forward-thinking politicians are proposing reforms to the educational system.
Other Compound Adjectives
- ice-cold
There’s nothing better than drinking an ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer day. - last-minute
I hate it when my boss wants to make last-minute changes to a publication. - full-length
The director produced his first full-length movie in 1998. - world-famous
We had dinner at a world-famous Italian restaurant. - fat-free
These fat-free cookies are delicious!
When to use a hyphen?
Use a hyphen when the compound adjective comes BEFORE the noun it modifies, but not when it comes AFTER the noun.
This is a world-famous museum.
This museum is world famous.
We walked into a brightly-lit room.
We walked into a room that was brightly lit.
It was quite a thought-provoking book.
The book was quite thought provoking.