What is a descriptive word called

Most people think of adjectives, words that describe nouns, when they think of descriptive words, but many descriptive words are not adjectives. Descriptive words could also include adverbs, or words that help to describe action. Descriptive words could also be clear, strong verbs or nouns that carry clear meaning.

What is a clause definition?

1 : a group of words containing a subject and predicate and functioning as a member of a complex (see complex entry 2 sense 1b(2)) or compound (see compound entry 2 sense 3b) sentence The sentence “When it rained they went inside” consists of two clauses: “when it rained” and “they went inside.”

A phrase is described as a group of two or more than two words related to one another, that constitute a single unit. On the other extreme, the clause is a part of a sentence, that contains a subject (noun phrase) that actively performs an action (finite verb form).

What do you call a group of words that function as a single part of speech?

Phrases A phrase is a group of related words that functions as a single part of speech. A phrase does not have a subject or a verb.

What are examples of unique qualities?

Here are just some of the things that make YOU unique in this world.

• Your Personality. An individual’s personality is something that is molded from the moment they are born right through to the present moment.
• Your Attitude.
• Your Experiences.
• Your Habits.
• Your Creativity.
• Your Perspective.
• Your Taste.
• Your Goals.

How do you describe a unique person?

What Does It Mean To Be A Unique Person? To be a unique person means that you are one of a kind and no other person is exactly like you. This uniqueness partly comes from within, shown through our actions and behaviors. They will appear differently on each person and you will have a unique appearance.

How do you use the word unique?

‘Unique’ is often cited as a word that should never be modified, as its original meanings were “being the only one” and “unequaled.” But ‘unique’ has another meaning, “unusual,” and it’s common to modify the word when it’s used this way.

How do you describe something unique?

alone

• incomparable.
• matchless.
• peerless.
• singly.
• singular.
• solely.
• unequalled.
• unique.

Is being called unique a compliment?

In a world full of copycats and wannabes, being unique is one of the best compliments you can get. It means that you are the kind of person who does not settle for the status quo. Instead, you are someone who is not afraid to be yourself, even if that makes you a little different from everyone else.

How do you say something is special?

Special synonyms

1. unique. Being the only one of its kind:
2. extraordinary. Going far beyond the ordinary degree, measure, limit, etc.; very unusual; exceptional; remarkable.
3. particular.
4. important.
5. extravaganza.
6. specific.
7. express.
8. exceptional.

Does Unique mean special?

As adjectives the difference between unique and special is that unique is (not comparable) being the only one of its kind; unequaled, unparalleled or unmatched while special is distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.

Adverbs in the Role of Descriptive Words In contrast to adjectives, which give additional description for nouns, adverbs are used to alter other elements of speech such as verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. Adverbs are used to describe ideas such as time, location, circumstance, manner, or degree. Adverbs are used to describe concepts such as time, place, circumstance, manner, or degree.

1. A characterizing word can be either an adjective or an adverb, depending on the situation.
2. Nouns and pronouns are described by adjectives.
3. Adverbs are used to characterize verbs.
4. Describing words provide us with more information about people and locations, as well as making our work more engaging.
5. When utilized appropriately, these words may aid in the improvement of your grammar and the creation of more descriptive writing.

Contents

• 1 What are descriptive words called in English?
• 2 What are words that describe a person called?
• 3 What are words that describe nouns called?
• 4 What are words that describe a place called?
• 5 What do you mean by ‘describing’ word?
• 6 What do you call a describing word?
• 7 What is the literal definition of a word called?
• 8 What are words within words called?

What are descriptive words called in English?

– Responses What are the proper names for descriptive words? Adjectives are words that characterize persons, places, and objects (nouns) in a specific way. Adverbs are words that describe actions (verbs) and are used in conjunction with them. Modifiers are a generic phrase used to describe the meaning of words.

What are words that describe a person called?

• Responses to questions and concerns Is there a name for these kinds of descriptive words? Defining adjectives is the use of words to describe people, places, and things (nouns). Adverbs are words that are used to describe activities (verbs). When characterizing words, a typical phrase is ″modifier.″

What are words that describe nouns called?

Adjectives are words that characterize persons, places, and objects (nouns) in a specific way. Adverbs are words that describe actions (verbs) and are used in conjunction with them. Modifiers are a generic phrase used to describe the meaning of words.

What are words that describe a place called?

What are the proper names for descriptive words? Adjectives are words that characterize persons, places, and objects (nouns) in a specific way. Adverbs are words that describe actions (verbs) and are used in conjunction with them. Modifiers are a generic phrase used to describe the meaning of words.

1. She gave it to Connie, detailing the front door and the rest of the house.
2. I suppose the best way to describe it is as a ″situation.″
3. Carmen and Alex were eating dinner at Katie and Bill’s house again the following weekend, and Alex was discussing a location in Columbia.
4. Groucho soon went on, recounting the events that had transpired.

What do you call a describing word?

1. This is said with a voice that does not rise and fall in pitch.
2. This term is frequently used to describe the dialect of individuals who originate in a given place.
3. The voice of a person who has a hoarse voice is low and harsh, generally because the person’s throat is in pain.
4. Although honeyed words or a honeyed voice seem lovely, you should not put your confidence in the person who is speaking.

What is the literal definition of a word called?

The literal definition of a term is referred to as its definition. Answer When referring to the dictionary definition or the literal meaning of any sort of word, denotation is the term that is used in the opposite sense to the connotation.

What are words within words called?

1. Words that begin with the letter Meaning of the phrase ″inside within″:- Within doors, for example, means within the inner or internal section of the door; within the door; not outside the door.
2. As an example, within the bounds or scope of; not more than five miles in length; not longer than an hour; not exceeding in quantity; as an example, costs maintained within one’s means of subsistence.

There is always a right time to use descriptive words in any piece of writing. Descriptive words are also adjectives, but to be descriptive means to appeal to the reader or listener’s senses. We can say something is small, but how small? Something might be blue, but what shade of blue? If something is beautiful, in what way is it beautiful? Descriptive words take regular adjectives to the next level. Let’s explore what descriptive writing actually entails.

What Are Descriptive Words?

Descriptive words are words that describe a person, place, thing, or idea in a way that relates to the senses. The five senses are sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. The better the description, the better the reader or listener can picture it in their head. Sometimes the imagery is pleasant and other times it might be frightening, saddening, or even disgusting. For now, we’ll focus on positive descriptions! Let’s take an apple tree for example.

We’ve already described it as a “tall tree”. How tall, though? 40 feet? Now we have a 40-foot tall apple tree. Maybe it’s covered in beautiful pink blossoms. Maybe it smells like heaven. Therefore, we could describe the tree as a “40-foot tall, rosy pink apple tree that smelled as sweet as it looked”. There was nothing initially wrong with saying “the tall apple tree” or even just “the tall tree”, however, if our goal is for the reader to imagine this tree to the best of their ability, the latter description works best.

Here is another example. This time, we’ll keep the descriptions coming until we have a great, imaginative sentence!

• There was a brown bear.
• There was a ferocious grizzly bear.
• There was a ferocious grizzly bear, emitting a low-pitched growl and showing its razor-like teeth.

In a nutshell, this is the definition of how we use descriptive wording! Now let’s find out exactly why descriptive wording is so important.

Why Do We Use Descriptive Words?

We use descriptive words for the sake of the audience and the subject in question. The more important it is that the audience thinks about the subject, the better description we should use. We use descriptive wording most often in fiction because it brings the imagery of the story to life. Just like in the previous example, if the apple tree is important to the scene and/or the story itself, being descriptive paints a picture. If we want people to know that the bear was scary rather than cute and cuddly, we need to let them know. Words like these provide deeper understanding, create emotions, and give your writing or speech a sense of realism. We always want to connect with our audience to the best of our ability.

Now, let’s look at 30 descriptive words that you can use to capture someone’s imagination!

List of Descriptive Words/Terms

Below is the list of common descriptive words that you often see.

• Stunning
• Glowing
• Radiant
• Sky blue
• Mossy green
• Crisp
• Tart
• Red-hot
• Bland
• Hideous
• Sickly
• Buttery-soft
• Rough
• Rubbery
• Scalding
• Icy
• Sandy/Grainy
• Exhausted
• Ecstatic
• Joyful
• Devastated
• Disappointing
• Raging
• Fiery
• Brainy
• Cunning
• Scaly
• Savory
• Dreamy
• Wild

List of Descriptive Words and Their Synonyms

Large

• Vast
• Giant
• Wide
• Massive
• Spacious
• Immense
• Gigantic
• Enormous
• Broad
• Hefty

Fast

• Rapid
• Quick
• Nimble
• Brisk
• Agile
• Swift
• Speedy
• Active
• Accelerated
• Fleet

Said

• Replied
• Answered
• Told
• Responded
• Called
• Stated
• Remarked
• Asked
• Exclaimed
• Expressed

Hard

• Tough
• Solid
• Strong
• Demanding
• Complicated
• Tricky
• Challenging
• Rigid
• Puzzling
• Firm

Happy

• Cheerful
• Delighted
• Glad
• Joyous
• Merry
• Pleasant
• Jubilant
• Overjoyed
• Contented
• Joyful

Kind

• Gracious
• Affectionate
• Friendly
• Gentle
• Generous
• Kindly
• Loving
• Thoughtful
• Humane
• Kindhearted

Small

• Short
• Narrow
• Modest
• Little
• Tiny
• Wee
• Meager
• Miniature
• Microscopic
• Minute

Walk

• Hike
• Stroll
• Wander
• March
• Parade
• Pace
• Strut
• Shuffle
• Saunter
• Ramble

Funny

• Whimsical
• Playful
• Hilarious
• Droll
• Comical
• Humorous
• Amusing
• Witty
• Jolly
• Entertaining

Easy

• Obvious
• Effortless
• Simple
• Uncomplicated
• Straightforward
• Apparent
• Smooth
• Snap
• Elementary
• Evident

Run

• Spurt
• Race
• Rush
• Hurry
• Jog
• Pace
• Dart
• Dash
• Bound
• Sprint

Sad

• Sorrowful
• Sorry
• Wistful
• Melancholy
• Somber
• Dismal
• Gloomy
• Miserable
• Bitter
• Mournful

Descriptive Words | Infographic

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When speaking or writing in the English language you are going to need to use descriptive words. But what are these types of describing words and how can we use them? We will look at the answers to these questions and look at examples of the different types of descriptive words.

You may be tired of always using the same adjectives and are in desperate need to add some new ones to your vocabulary. If that’s the case, then you’re in the right place! Here we will be sharing with you, the most common descriptive words and describing words. As well as, how to use gerunds, verbs, and nouns as descriptive words.

What Are Descriptive Words?

A descriptive word is a word that is used to describe something, that something could be a person, a place, a situation, or an item amongst other things. These words enable you to better explain the condition of something, for example, if you were talking about a person, you might use descriptive words to explain how that person looks. If you were talking about a country, you would use descriptive words to talk about the size of the country for example.

A descriptive word can also help you to intensify the meaning of a word or phrase.

Learn 250 Useful Descriptive Words to Improve Your General Fluency in English

Descriptive Words to Describe Colors

Word	Example
Crimson	The crimson sun set over the horizon. (Deep red)
Scarlet	She wore a scarlet dress to the party. (Bright red)
Burgundy	The burgundy wine had a rich, complex flavor. (Dark red or purple)
Rose	The rose petals were soft and delicate. (Light pink)
Magenta	The magenta flowers added a pop of color to the garden. (Purplish-red)
Lavender	The lavender fields stretched out as far as the eye could see. (Pale purple)
Indigo	The indigo dye gave the fabric a deep, rich color. (Deep blue-purple)
Azure	The sky was a brilliant shade of azure. (Bright blue)
Sapphire	The sapphire earrings sparkled in the light. (Rich blue)
Turquoise	The turquoise waters of the Caribbean were crystal clear. (Blue-green)
Olive	The olive trees provided shade from the hot sun. (Yellow-green)
Lime	The lime juice gave the drink a refreshing tang. (Bright green)
Emerald	The emerald ring gleamed on her finger. (Deep green)
Chartreuse	The chartreuse walls of the room added a bold splash of color. (Yellow-green)
Gold	The gold medal gleamed in the athlete’s hand. (Yellow-orange)
Tangerine	The tangerine sunset painted the sky with vibrant hues. ( Bright orange)
Rust	The rust-colored leaves fell gently from the trees. (Orange-red)
Chocolate	The chocolate cake was rich and indulgent. (Dark brown)
Beige	The walls were painted a soft shade of beige. (Light brown)
Ivory	The ivory wedding gown was stunning. (Creamy white)
Pearl	The pearl necklace shimmered in the light. (Pale grayish-white)
Silver	The silver car gleamed in the sun. (Shiny gray)
Charcoal	The charcoal drawing was incredibly detailed. (Dark gray)

Descriptive Words to Describe Shapes

Word	Meaning
Circular	Having the shape of a circle
Oval	Having the shape of an ellipse
Square	Having four equal sides and four right angles
Rectangular	Having four sides with opposite sides parallel and equal in length
Triangular	Having three sides
Diamond	Having a rhombus shape
Pentagon	Having five sides
Hexagon	Having six sides
Octagon	Having eight sides
Sphere	A three-dimensional circular object
Cube	A three-dimensional object with six square sides
Cylinder	A three-dimensional object with circular bases and straight sides
Cone	A three-dimensional object with a circular base and a pointed tip
Pyramid	A three-dimensional object with a polygonal base and triangular sides that meet at a point
Diamond	A two-dimensional shape with four straight sides of equal length, arranged in a diamond shape

Descriptive Words to Describe Sizes

Word	Meaning
Tiny	Extremely small
Petite	Small and delicate
Miniature	Small in size, but accurately detailed
Compact	Small and efficiently designed
Little	Small in size or amount
Dainty	Small and delicate in a pleasing way
Slim	Narrow or thin in shape
Narrow	Long and thin in shape
Short	Not tall in height
Average	A typical or common size
Moderate	Of medium size or amount
Large	Big in size
Grand	Impressive or magnificent in size
Massive	Extremely large or heavy
Colossal	Enormous in size or scale
Giant	Very large in size or stature

Descriptive Words to Describe Age and Time

Word	Example
New	She bought a new car last week.
Fresh	The bakery sold fresh bread every morning.
Young	The young puppy was full of energy.
Juvenile	The juvenile delinquent was arrested for theft.
Infant	The infant slept soundly in her crib.
Toddler	The toddler stumbled while taking her first steps.
Adolescent	The adolescent struggled with peer pressure.
Teenage	She was a typical teenage girl, always on her phone.
Mature	The mature oak tree provided shade on a hot day.
Elderly	The elderly man needed help crossing the street.
Aged	The aged book was a valuable antique.
Ancient	The ancient ruins of Rome attract millions of tourists every year.
Timely	The timely arrival of the ambulance saved his life.
Prompt	The prompt response to the emergency call was appreciated.
Current	The current pandemic has affected people all over the world.
Contemporary	The contemporary art exhibit featured works by modern artists.
Outdated	The outdated technology was replaced with newer models.
Obsolete	The obsolete machinery was sold for scrap metal.

Descriptive Words to Describe Taste

Word	Example
Bitter	Coffee, dark chocolate, tonic water
Sweet	Candy, fruit, honey
Sour	Lemon, vinegar, sour cream
Salty	Chips, salted nuts, seaweed salad
Savory	Steak, bacon, mushroom soup
Spicy	Chili peppers, hot sauce, curry
Tangy	Pickles, mustard, citrus fruits
Mild	Cream cheese, rice, cucumber
Rich	Chocolate cake, beef stew, creamy pasta
Tart	Green apples, yogurt, sourdough bread
Bland	Plain rice, boiled potatoes, tofu
Astringent	Red wine, tea, unripe fruit
Earthy	Beets, mushrooms, root vegetables
Fruity	Berry jam, tropical juice, apple cider
Nutty	Almond butter, pecan pie, peanut brittle
Smoky	Grilled meat, smoked salmon, roasted nuts
Herbal	Basil pesto, rosemary chicken, mint tea
Floral	Rosewater, lavender honey, chamomile tea
Citrusy	Orange juice, lemon zest, grapefruit slices
Robust	Espresso, dark beer, aged cheese

Descriptive Words to Describe Sounds

Word	Example
Loud	Thunder, explosion, car horn
Soft	Whisper, rustle, purr
Shrill	Scream, alarm, screech
Mellow	Jazz music, warm voice, cello
Melodic	Singing, bird chirping, guitar solo
Harmonious	Chorus, symphony, choir
Grating	Nails on a chalkboard, metal scraping
Jarring	Siren, slamming door, breaking glass
Clanging	Bell, metal drum, cymbal
Thumping	Bass drum, heartbeat, pounding feet
Whirring	Fan, blender, air conditioner
Buzzing	Bee, electrical wires, phone
Rustling	Leaves, paper, fabric
Sizzling	Bacon, steak, frying pan
Crackling	Fire, popping popcorn, twigs
Screeching	Brakes, metal scraping, chalkboard
Murmuring	Whispering, water flowing, wind
Gurgling	Waterfall, creek, stomach
Cooing	Pigeon, baby, dove

Descriptive Words to Describe Touch

Descriptive Word	Examples
Soft	The baby’s skin was soft like silk.
Rough	The surface of the rock was rough and jagged.
Smooth	The polished marble was smooth to the touch.
Prickly	The cactus had prickly spines all over its surface.
Cold	The ice cube was cold to the touch.
Warm	The cup of tea was warm to the touch.
Wet	The raincoat was wet from the rain.
Dry	The desert sand was dry and gritty.
Bumpy	The dirt road was bumpy and rough to drive on.
Furry	The cat was furry and cuddly.
Slimy	The slug left a slimy trail behind it.
Sticky	The tape was sticky and adhered to the paper.
Tingly	The minty toothpaste left a tingly sensation in my mouth.
Numb	My hand felt numb after holding the ice pack for too long.
Jarring	The impact of the car accident was jarring and painful.
Ticklish	I’m ticklish on my feet and it always makes me laugh.

Descriptive Words to Describe Smell

Descriptive Word	Examples
Sweet	The aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls was sweet and inviting.
Sour	The smell of spoiled milk was sour and unpleasant.
Floral	The bouquet of roses filled the room with a sweet and floral fragrance.
Earthy	The smell of freshly cut grass was earthy and refreshing.
Spicy	The curry had a spicy smell that made my nose tingle.
Smoky	The campfire had a smoky smell that lingered on our clothes.
Musky	The perfume had a musky smell that was alluring and sensual.
Fruity	The bowl of fresh fruit had a fruity smell that was refreshing.
Herbal	The tea had an herbal smell that was calming and soothing.
Woody	The cabin had a woody smell that reminded me of the forest.
Chemical	The cleaning solution had a chemical smell that made my eyes water.
Rancid	The old cheese had a rancid smell that made me feel nauseous.
Metallic	The smell of the metalwork shop was metallic and sharp.
Fishy	The fish market had a fishy smell that was overwhelming.
Musty	The old attic had a musty smell that was unpleasant.
Aromatic	The herbs had an aromatic smell that filled the kitchen with deliciousness.
Pungent	The onions had a pungent smell that made my eyes water.
Foul	The garbage had a foul smell that made me gag.

Descriptive Words to Describe Quantity

1. Small quantity:

Word	Meaning
Scanty	Barely sufficient or inadequate
Meager	Lacking in quantity or quality
Sparse	Thinly scattered or distributed
Paltry	Insignificant or small in amount
Modest	Limited or moderate in amount

1. Medium quantity:

Word	Meaning
Adequate	Sufficient or satisfactory
Ample	Enough or more than enough
Sufficient	Adequate or enough to meet a need or demand
Considerable	Large or significant in amount
Substantial	Large or considerable in amount

1. Large quantity:

Word	Meaning
Abundant	Plentiful or ample in quantity
Copious	Large in quantity or number
Profuse	Abundant or excessive in quantity
Overflowing	Filled beyond capacity or brimming over
Innumerable	Too many to be counted or too numerous to mention

Descriptive Words to Describe Quality

1. Poor quality:

Word	Meaning
Shoddy	Poorly made or inferior in quality
Inferior	Lower in quality or value
Substandard	Below the accepted standard or quality
Defective	Faulty or imperfect in quality
Flawed	Containing defects or imperfections

1. Average quality:

Word	Meaning
Mediocre	Neither good nor bad; average
Decent	Adequate or satisfactory in quality
Standard	Conforming to the accepted standard or norm
Acceptable	Suitable or satisfactory in quality
Tolerable	Bearable or acceptable in quality

1. High quality:

Word	Meaning
Superior	Higher in quality or value
Excellent	Exceptionally good or of high quality
Premium	Of superior quality and value
Exceptional	Unusually good or outstanding in quality
Top-notch	Of the highest quality or excellence

Descriptive Words to Describe the Weather

Word	Example
Sunny	It’s a sunny day, let’s go to the beach.
Cloudy	The sky is cloudy, it might rain later.
Rainy	It’s a rainy day, don’t forget your umbrella.
Windy	It’s very windy outside, hold on to your hat.
Stormy	The stormy weather caused power outages throughout the city.
Snowy	The snowy landscape looks beautiful in winter.
Foggy	The foggy morning made it hard to see the road.
Misty	The misty morning made everything look mysterious.
Hazy	The hazy afternoon made the distant mountains barely visible.
Humid	It’s very humid outside, it feels like a sauna.
Dry	The dry heat made it difficult to breathe.
Hot	It’s too hot to go outside, let’s stay indoors.
Cold	The cold weather made me shiver even with my coat on.
Freezing	The freezing weather caused the roads to be covered in ice.
Chilly	The chilly breeze made me put on a sweater.
Pleasant	The weather is so pleasant today, let’s have a picnic.
Unpleasant	The weather is so unpleasant today, I don’t want to go outside.
Dreary	The dreary weather matched my mood.
Muggy	The muggy weather made it hard to breathe.
Breezy	The breezy day made flying kites so much fun.

Descriptive Words to Describe the Environment

Word	Example
Pristine	The pristine beach was untouched by tourists.
Lush	The lush rainforest was home to many species of animals.
Arid	The arid desert had very little rainfall.
Barren	The barren land had no plants or trees.
Serene	The serene lake was a great place to meditate.
Polluted	The polluted air in the city made it difficult to breathe.
Noisy	The noisy construction site made it hard to concentrate.
Vibrant	The vibrant city was alive with activity.
Tranquil	The tranquil forest was a great place to escape from the city.
Industrial	The industrial park was home to many manufacturing companies.
Rural	The rural farm was miles away from the nearest town.
Urban	The urban landscape was full of skyscrapers and bustling streets.
Picturesque	The picturesque village looked like it came straight out of a postcard.
Secluded	The secluded beach was only accessible by boat.
Majestic	The majestic mountains were a sight to behold.
Prickly	The prickly cactus was a common sight in the desert.
Rustic	The rustic cabin was a perfect getaway for those seeking a quiet retreat.
Scenic	The scenic drive along the coast was breathtaking.
Wild	The wild animals in the jungle were dangerous and unpredictable.
Eerie	The eerie silence in the abandoned house made us feel uneasy.

Learn more: Words to Describe Someone

Types of Describing Words

What types of descriptive words are there? There are two main types of descriptive words. Adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives are extremely important and useful in the English language. They have been around for many years, largely influential people like Shakespeare invented many during his time on Earth. They provide us with the access to describe the things around us, which comes in handy in many situations. For example, if you’re going to see a doctor about a specific issue, you’ll need to be able to describe it. If you’re writing a story, adjectives will help your audience to visualize your story more vividly. If you looking to complement or describe someone, adjectives are crucial.

Gerunds, verbs, and nouns can also be used as descriptive words. Let’s look at each of these types of descriptive words in a little more detail.

Descriptive Adjectives

An adjective is used to modify or describe a noun. The adjective can give more information about a noun such as things like its size, shape, texture, or color.

An adjective is useful when there is a selection of the same objects which have subtle differences, for example, if there were a group of fish, each one a different color. You are asked ‘which fish do you like?’ You can reply to this question by simply using the adjective, and you could say ‘the blue one.’

Here are a few examples of adjectives in use:

• The building is modern.
• The pizza is delicious.
• Her dress is elegant.
• The concert was loud.
• The movie was exciting.
• The flowers are fragrant.
• The sky is blue.
• The lake is crystal-clear.
• The city is vibrant.
• The sunset was breathtaking.

It is worth noting that an adjective is likely end with the following letters:

Suffix	Examples
-al	Logical, Rational, Regional, Principal, Clinical
-an	American, Mexican, Human, Suburban, Urban
-ar	Popular, Clear, Lunar, Regular, Cellular, Solar
-ent	Decent, Magnificent, Excellent, Independent, Fluent
-ful	Beautiful, Blissful, Helpful, Grateful, Successful
-ic	Athletic, Majestic, Historic, Romantic, Comedic
-ical	Magical, Fantastical, Chemical, Logical, Historical
-ine	Feminine, Ovine, Porcine, Marine, Alpine
-ile	Immobile, Juvenile, Agile, Hostile, Infantile
-ive	Aggressive, Adaptive, Creative, Positive, Productive
-less	Colourless, Thoughtless, Endless, Fearless, Pointless
-ous	Ginormous, Luminous, Dangerous, Courageous, Enormous
-some	Awesome, Boresome, Tedious, Troublesome, Fearsome

However, as with many grammar rules there are exceptions and so sometimes an adjective might not fall into one of these categories. Some of the less common endings for adjectives can be -ing, -er, -y, -ary, -ate.

These types of descriptive words can appear anywhere in a sentence.

Related: 515 Descriptive Adjectives to Describe Everything in English!

Descriptive Adverbs

An adverb is the other type of descriptive word that we are going to look at. An adverb is a word that can further explain an adjective or many other types of words such as verbs, phrases, sentences, or even other adverbs. This type of descriptive word is more often than not, placed directly before or after the verb in the sentence you are creating. Usually, you will find that an adverb ends in the letters -ly, but as with adjectives, this rule can waiver from time to time, and not all adverbs will end in these letters.

Here are some examples of adverbs in a sentence:

• The old man walks slowly along the street.
• She danced gracefully on the stage.
• The toddler is running excitedly toward the playground.
• He spoke softly to avoid waking the baby.
• The chef cooked the steak perfectly.
• She sings beautifully in the choir.
• He writes legibly on the chalkboard.
• The bird flew gracefully through the air.
• The boxer punches powerfully in the ring.
• The dog barks loudly at strangers.

You can also use two adverbs together to form an adverb phrase, here are some examples of this.

• The runners sprinted effortlessly down the track.
• She sang beautifully during the performance.
• He solved the math problem surprisingly quickly.
• The chef cooked the meal extremely well.
• The flowers bloomed suddenly after the rain.

Gerunds, Verbs, and Nouns Used As Descriptive Words

Gerunds Used As Descriptive Words

Encase you’re unfamiliar with gerunds; a gerund is verb ending in -ing, which acts as a noun. Some examples of gerunds are: asking and running. If used correctly, these words can be used as adjectives by modifying adverbs.

Here are some examples of how to use gerunds as descriptive words:

• “She enjoys painting landscapes on the weekends”
• “The rushing waterfall was a breathtaking sight”
• “The boiling tea kettle let out a high-pitched whistle”
• “The blinding sunshine made it difficult to see”
• “The dazzling fireworks lit up the night sky”
• “The deafening music was too loud for my ears”

Verbs Used As Descriptive Words

Verbs are used to describe actions, states and occurrences. Commonly used verbs include: achieve, limit and receive. Verbs ending in -ed and -ing used to describe, can be disguised as adjectives. Another way would be to use a verb to modify a noun or a pronoun.

Here are some examples of how to use verbs as descriptive words:

• “Her story was extremely puzzling“
• “I am so satisfied with my work”
• “I’m just always bored for some reason”
• “Never go near a smiling crocodile”
• “My dad is going to repair our broken porch”

Nouns Used As Descriptive Words

A noun is a word which is used to identify specific things, this could be a place or an animal, even an object. To use a noun as a descriptive word, you will have to use it to modify another noun. This is called an adjectival noun or noun modifying.

Here are some examples of how to use nouns as descriptive words:

• “I love race cars”
• “I bought my son a bed in the shape of a sports car”
• “Good always wins and bad always loses”
• -“The ugly is on its way”
• “The rich should help the poor“

Describing Words (from A-Z)

Descriptive Words that Start with A

• Abandoned
• Abnormal
• Abundant
• Abusive
• Academic
• Acceptable
• Accomplished
• Achy
• Active
• Adaptable
• Adorable
• Adventurous
• Affordable
• Alert
• Ambitious
• Amused
• Arrogant

Descriptive Words that Start with B

• Babyish
• Baffling
• Baggy
• Balanced
• Basic
• Beaming
• Beautified
• Beneficial
• Bewildered
• Blue-Eyed
• Blushing
• Boisterous
• Bookish
• Brainy
• Brash
• Brilliant
• Brittle

Descriptive Words that Start with C

• Calculating
• Calm
• Captivating
• Carefree
• Casual
• Cautious
• Cerulean
• Charismatic
• Charming
• Cheerful
• Clever
• Combative
• Comfortable
• Courageous
• Creative
• Crisp
• Cyan

Descriptive Words that Start with D

• Damaged
• Dangerous
• Dark
• Decent
• Deep
• Defeated
• Delicious
• Delighted
• Deluxe
• Depressed
• Determined
• Different
• Discreet
• Diverse
• Divine
• Dominant
• Dynamic

Descriptive Words that Start with E

• Eager
• Earthly
• Easy-Going
• Efficacious
• Effortless
• Elegant
• Emotional
• Empty
• Enchanting
• Enraged
• Enthusiastic
• Equable
• Evanescent
• Exciting
• Exemplary
• Exuberant
• Eye-catching

Descriptive Words that Start with F

• Fabulous
• Factual
• Faithful
• Fake
• Famous
• Fancy
• Fascinating
• Fashionable
• Fearless
• Feisty
• Fierce
• Fine
• Flawless
• Flustered
• Foreign
• Free
• Frightened

Descriptive Words that Start with G

• Gaping
• Generic
• Generous
• Gentle
• Giant
• Gifted
• Glamorous
• Gleaming
• Gloomy
• Glowing
• Glum
• Goal-oriented
• Good-looking
• Graceful
• Grieving
• Grumpy
• Guarded

Descriptive Words that Start with H

• Handed
• Handsome
• Harmful
• Harmonious
• Hasty
• Hated
• Hazel
• Headstrong
• Healthy
• Heavenly
• Helpful
• Heroic
• Hideous
• High-spirited
• Hilarious
• Homely
• Humongous

Descriptive Words that Start with I

• Iconic
• Icy
• Ideal
• Idealistic
• Idolised
• Illegal
• Immortal
• Immune
• Impervious
• Impossible
• Improper
• Inclined
• Inexpensive
• Inquisitive
• Intense
• Intriguing
• Introverted

Descriptive Words that Start with J

• Jaded
• Jagged
• Jam-packed
• Jangling
• Jarring
• Jaunty
• Jealous
• Jeering
• Jesting
• Jewelled
• Jittery
• Jolly
• Joyful
• Joyous
• Jubilant
• Jumpy
• Juvenile

Descriptive Words that Start with K

• Kaleidoscopic
• Kaput
• Keeled
• Keen
• Keyless
• Kind
• Kindhearted
• Kindly
• Kindred
• Kinetic
• Kingly
• Kissable
• Klutzy
• Knockout
• Knotted
• Knowledgeable
• Known

Descriptive Words that Start with L

• Ladylike
• Lame
• Lanky
• Lawful
• Lazy
• Legendary
• Lesser
• Liberated
• Licit
• Lively
• Livid
• Lonely
• Loud
• Lovable
• Lucky
• Luxurious
• Lyrical

Descriptive Words that Start with M

• Macabre
• Machiavellian
• Mad
• Magical
• Magnanimous
• Maladapted
• Malefic
• Malleable
• Marvellous
• Memorable
• Mindful
• Modern
• Motionless
• Motivated
• Motivational
• Musical
• Mysterious

Descriptive Words that Start with N

• Naive
• Narcissistic
• Narrow
• Nasty
• Native
• Natural
• Naughty
• Nauseated
• Nauseating
• Nauseous
• Neat
• Necessary
• Needed
• Needy
• Nervous
• New
• Nice

Descriptive Words that Start with O

• Obedient
• Obnoxious
• Obscure
• Observant
• Odd
• Odorous
• Official
• Old-fashioned
• Openhearted
• Open-minded
• Original
• Outgoing
• Out-of-this-world
• Outrageous
• Overjoyed
• Overprotective
• Overthinker

Descriptive Words that Start with P

• Panicky
• Participant
• Passionate
• Patient
• Peaceful
• Perceptive
• Perfect
• Persistent
• Personable
• Petty
• Placid
• Playful
• Powerful
• Precious
• Pretty
• Professional
• Proud

Descriptive Words that Start with Q

• Quaint
• Qualified
• Quality
• Quarrelsome
• Queasy
• Queer
• Quenched
• Querulous
• Questionable
• Questioning
• Quick
• Quiet
• Quirky
• Quiver
• Quixotic
• Quotable

Descriptive Words that Start with R

• Rabid
• Racy
• Radiant
• Radical
• Radioactive
• Rakish
• Rampant
• Rare
• Raspy
• Rational
• Reachable
• Real
• Relieved
• Repulsive
• Respectable
• Responsible
• Romantic

Descriptive Words that Start with S

• Sad
• Safe
• Salty
• Sanctimonious
• Sanguine
• Sarcastic
• Sassy
• Scented
• Scintillating
• Sedentary
• Self-assertive
• Selfless
• Sensitive
• Silky
• Sparkling
• Splendid
• Strange

Descriptive Words that Start with T

• Talented
• Talkative
• Tall
• Tantalising
• Tasteful
• Tasty
• Tempting
• Tenacious
• Tender
• Terrible
• Thankful
• Thoughtless
• Tinted
• Tolerant
• Tremendous
• Trustful
• Trustworthy

Descriptive Words that Start with U

• Uber
• Ugly
• Ulterior
• Ultimate
• Unaffected
• Unbelievable
• Unbroken
• Uninterested
• Universal
• Unlucky
• Unpleasant
• Unused
• Unusual
• Up-front
• Uptight
• Useful
• Utter

Descriptive Words that Start with V

• Vainglorious
• Valiant
• Valid
• Validatory
• Valorous
• Valuable
• Vast
• Vaulting
• Versatile
• Vibrant
• Victorious
• Vigilant
• Vigorous
• Vivacious
• Vivid
• Vociferous

Descriptive Words that Start with W

• Wacky
• Wanted
• Warm
• Warmhearted
• Wasteful
• Weak
• Wealthy
• Well-behaved
• Whole
• Wicked
• Wide-awake
• Wild
• Witty
• Wordy
• Worrisome
• Worshipful
• Wrong

Descriptive Words that Start with X

• Xanthospermous
• Xanthous
• Xebec
• Xeme
• Xenial
• Xenodochial
• Xenogeneic
• Xeric
• Xerothermic
• Xylographic
• Xystus

Descriptive Words that Start with Y

• Yappy
• Yawning
• Yearly
• Yeasty
• Yellow
• Yellowish
• Yern
• Yiddish
• Yodelling
• Young
• Young-at-heart
• Youthful
• Yummy

Descriptive Words that Start with Z

• Zaftig
• Zany
• Zazzy
• Zealand
• Zealful
• Zealous
• Zenithal
• Zestful
• Zesty
• Zigzag
• Zingy
• Zionist
• Zippy
• Zoological
• Zootrophic
• Zymotic

List of Descriptive Words

Descriptive Adjectives

Here is a comprehensive list of descriptive adjectives.

• Abandoned
• Able
• Academic
• Acclaimed
• Accomplished
• Acrobatic
• Active
• Adible
• Admirable
• Adorable
• Adventurous
• Afraid
• Aggresive
• Agile
• Alarmed
• Ample
• Amused
• Ancient
• Angelic
• Angry
• Babyish
• Bad
• Baggy
• Beloved
• Bewitched
• Bitter
• Blank
• Bleak
• Blind
• Boring
• Bouncy
• Brave
• Bright
• Brilliant
• Buoyant
• Burly
• Busy
• Buttery
• Buzzing
• Calm
• Carefree
• Careful
• Cautious
• Cavernous
• Chubby
• Classic
• Clean
• Clear
• Clever
• Cloudy
• Clumsy
• Cluttered
• Coarse
• Cold
• Colourful
• Comfortable
• Common
• Composed
• Concerned
• Conventional
• Crowded
• Cuddly
• Curly
• Damaged
• Dangerous
• Dark
• Dazzling
• Dear
• Decent
• Deep
• Defiant
• Delicious
• Delirious
• Demanding
• Dense
• Devoted
• Dim
• Dirty
• Disfigured
• Early
• Easy
• Elastic
• Elderly
• Electric
• Elementary
• Embellished
• Emotional
• Empty
• Enchanted
• Energetic
• Ethical
• Euphoric
• Everlasting
• Evil
• Exotic
• Faithful
• Famous
• Fancy
• Fashionable
• Fatal
• Fearful
• Female
• Filthy
• Firm
• Flat
• Flawed
• Flustered
• Focused
• Foolhardy
• Gregarious
• Grim
• Handsome
• Handy
• Intelligent
• Intrepid
• Joyful
• Jubilant
• Keen
• Kooky
• Lanky
• Lazy
• Limp
• Luxurious
• Mediocre
• Mellow
• Miserable
• Naive
• Nasty
• Nautical
• Neat
• Needy
• Negative
• Nervous
• Nice
• Nocturnal
• Ordinary
• Organic
• Ornate
• Powerless
• Practical
• Precious
• Puzzled
• Questionable
• Quirky
• Ragged
• Rapid
• Ready
• Recent
• Red
• Regal
• Reliable
• Sad
• Sandy
• Sane
• Scarce
• Scented
• Scornful
• Secret
• Selfish

Descriptive Adverbs

Now we have a list of adverbs.

• Accidentally
• Always
• Amusingly
• Angrily
• Anxiously
• Apathetically
• Assertively
• Awkwardly
• Badly
• Begrudgingly
• Blindly
• Blissfully
• Boastfully
• Boldly
• Bravely
• Brightly
• Cheerfully
• Cooly
• Coyly
• Crazily
• Defiantly
• Deftly
• Deliberately
• Devotedly
• Doubtfully
• Dramatically
• Dutifully
• Eagerly
• Elegantly
• Enormously
• Evenly
• Eventually
• Exactly
• Faintly
• Faithfully
• Finally
• Foolishly
• Frequently
• Frivolously
• Gleefully
• Gracefully
• Greedily
• Happily
• Hastily
• Honestly
• Hopelessly
• Hourly
• Hungrily
• Innocently
• Inquisitively
• Intelligently
• Irritably
• Jealously
• Justly
• Kindly
• Lazily
• Loosely
• Madly
• Meagerly
• Merrily
• Methodically
• Mortally
• Mysteriously
• Neglectfully
• Nervously
• Never
• Normally
• Obediently
• Obnoxiously
• Occasionally
• Often
• Only
• Perfectly
• Pointlessly
• Politely
• Poorly
• Powerfully
• Promptly
• Quickly
• Rapidly
• Rarely
• Rashly
• Regularly
• Rudely
• Safely
• Seldom
• Selfishly
• Seriously
• Shakily
• Sharply
• Silently
• Slowly
• Solemnly
• Sometimes
• Speedily
• Sternly
• Tactfully
• Technically
• Tediously
• Tragically
• Unexpectedly
• Usually
• Vacantly
• Victoriously
• Vivaciously
• Vividly
• Warmly
• Wearily
• Weekly
• Weirdly
• Wildly
• Yearly
• Youthfully
• Zealously

Synonyms for Common Descriptive Words

INTERESTING

• Absorbing
• Amusing
• Captivating
• Compelling
• Diverting
• Engaging
• Engrossing
• Entertaining
• Enthralling
• Fascinating
• Gripping
• Intriguing
• Riveting
• Striking

AMAZING

• Astonishing
• Awesome
• Breathtaking
• Brilliant
• Extraordinary
• Fabulous
• Fantastic
• Incredible
• Marvelous
• Overwhelming
• Phenomenal
• Prodigious
• Remarkable
• Significant
• Spectacular
• Staggering
• Stunning
• Stupendous
• Tremendous
• Unbelievable
• Unexpected
• Unimaginable
• Wonderful

NICE

• Admirable
• Amiable
• Charming
• Congenial
• Considerate
• Courteous
• Delightful
• Enjoyable
• Gracious
• Kind
• Lovely
• Pleasant
• Pleasing
• Pleasurable

GREAT

• Awesome
• Excellent
• Exceptional
• Extraordinary
• Incredible
• Magnificent
• Marvelous
• Outstanding
• Phenomenal
• Spectacular
• Superb
• Superior
• Terrific
• Wonderful

HAPPY

• Amused
• Blissful
• Bright
• Charmed
• Cheerful
• Contented
• Delighted
• Eager
• Ecstatic
• Elated
• Enthusiastic
• Excited
• Exultant
• Glad
• Gleeful
• Hopeful
• Joyful
• Loving
• Marvelous
• Merry
• Optimistic
• Overjoyed
• Pleased
• Positive
• Satisfied
• Thrilled

GOOD

• Amazing
• Excellent
• Exceptional
• Fantastic
• Marvelous
• Outstanding
• Pleasant
• Splendid
• Stupendous
• Super
• Terrific
• Wonderful

FUNNY

• Amusing
• Comical
• Droll
• Entertaining
• Farcical
• Gleeful
• Goofy
• Hilarious
• Humorous
• Hysterical
• Jocular
• Laughable
• Ludicrous
• Nonsensical
• Sidesplitting
• Whimsical

BAD

• Awful
• Crummy
• Despicable
• Disagreeable
• Disgraceful
• Dreadful
• Horrible
• Lousy
• Nasty
• Naughty
• Outrageous
• Rotten
• Terrible
• Unpleasant
• Wicked
• Wretched

SMALL

• Diminutive
• Little
• Mini
• Miniature
• Minute
• Petite
• Skimpy
• Slight
• Teeny-weeny
• Tiny
• Wee

IMPORTANT

• Consequential
• Critical
• Crucial
• Decisive
• Essential
• Eventful
• Extensive
• Far-reaching
• Fundamental
• Great
• Imperative
• Key
• Major
• Paramount
• Serious
• Significant
• Substantial
• Urgent
• Vital

RICH

• Affluent
• Deep-pocketed
• Fat cat
• Flush
• In the money
• Loaded (Slang)
• Moneyed
• Opulent
• Prosperous
• Wealthy
• Well-fixed
• Well-heeled
• Well-off/better off (informal)
• Well-to-do

SAD

• Blue
• Cheerless
• Dejected
• Depressed
• Desperate
• Discouraged
• Disgusted
• Downcast
• Forlorn
• Frustrated
• Gloomy
• Hateful
• Heartbroken
• Heavy
• Melancholy
• Miserable
• Mournful
• Somber
• Sorrowful
• Tearful
• Unhappy
• Upset
• Weepy
• Woeful
• Wretched

KIND

• Amiable
• Attentive
• Avuncular
• Benevolent
• Benign (formal)
• Caring
• Compassionate
• Congenial
• Considerate
• Friendly
• Generous
• Gentle
• Gracious
• Kindhearted
• Nice
• Sympathetic
• Thoughtful

ATTRACTIVE

• Alluring
• Beautiful
• Cute
• Glamorous
• Good-looking
• Gorgeous
• Handsome
• Lovely
• Pretty
• Stunning

REALLY

• Certainly
• Easily
• Genuinely
• Honestly
• Positively
• Precisely
• Truly
• Undoubtedly
• Unmistakably
• Unquestionably
• Verily

VERY

• Absolutely
• Acutely
• Awfully (informal)
• Decidedly
• Deeply
• Eminently
• Exceedingly
• Excessively
• Greatly
• Highly
• Jolly (Br.E)
• Noticeably
• Particularly
• Profoundly

EXTREMELY

• Really
• Remarkably
• Seriously
• Significantly
• Singularly
• Supremely
• Terribly
• Terrifically
• Thoroughly
• Tremendously
• Truly
• Uncommonly
• Unusually

NORMALLY

• Almost always
• As a general rule
• As a rule
• By and large
• Commonly
• For the most part
• Generally
• In general
• In the general run of things
• Mainly
• Most of the time
• Mostly
• Ordinarily
• Usually

QUICKLY

• Swiftly
• Rapidly
• Hurriedly
• Speedily
• Fast
• Quick
• Hastily
• Briskly
• At high speed
• Apace (literary)
• At full speed

SERIOUSLY

• All joking aside
• Honestly
• In earnest
• No joking (informal)
• Sincerely
• To be serious
• Truly
• Truthfully

KINDLY

• Affectionately
• Agreeably
• Cordially
• Generously
• Graciously
• Helpfully
• Lovingly
• Obligingly
• Politely
• Tenderly
• Thoughtfully

FINALLY

• At last
• At length
• At long last
• At the end of the day
• At the last
• At the last moment
• Eventually
• In the end
• In the long run
• Ultimately
• In conclusion

ONLY

• At a push
• At most
• But
• Just
• Merely
• No more than
• Nothing but
• Purely
• Simply

Describing Words Infographic 

Descriptive Words Infographic 1

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Descriptive Words Infographic 2

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Describing Everything with Words

• Adjectives List
• Words to Describe Someone
• Descriptive Adjectives
• Sensory Words
• Negative Adjectives
• Negative Adjectives to Describe a Person
• Adjectives To Describe A Person
• Adjectives to Describe Yourself
• Describing Physical Appearance
• Personality Adjectives
• Personality Traits
• Character Traits
• Mood Words
• Feeling Words & Emotion Words
• List of Emotions
• Opposite Adjectives
• Strong Adjectives
• Positive Words
• Positives Adjectives
• Positive Adjectives to Describe a Person

Last Updated on April 10, 2023

Much of our communication involves describing things, shapes, sizes, feelings, events and other things. Having precise words for describing helps us communicate better. Children need to learn the meaning of describing words as early as possible to develop good communication skills. By learning to describe words they can explain things better or communicate their feelings well. In this article, we go through describing words for classes 1, 2 and 3. Use these words frequently and with the intent to build a habit of using the right describing word for the right thing in your child.

What Are Describing Words?

Descriptive words are used to describe something or to intensify the meaning of words. Describing words can be used to describe everything from a person to a place, situation, things, feelings and thoughts, etc. Use of the right describing words paints the right picture of what you are trying to convey. Describing words can also be used to intensify or dilute the meaning of other describing words. For example, when you talk about a person, you describe their height, expressions and other features. When you describe a place, you use a combination of describing words that convey both the nature of the place and your feelings about it.

What Are The Types Of Describing Words?

In English, there are two ways to write describing words; adjectives and adverbs.

1. Adjectives

Adjectives are words used to describe nouns and pronouns acting as “subject” or “object” in a sentence. They give additional information about nouns or pronouns, such as shape, size, colour or other attributes. Examples include:

• He is tall.
• She is pretty.
• The car is blue.
• The food was spicy.
• She is an intelligent girl.

2. Adverbs

Adverbs are words that describe verbs. They describe things other than nouns and pronouns. They can also modify adjectives and other adverbs. The describing words examples include:

• He quickly climbed the wall.
• The stars were shining brightly.
• He is a quick learner.
• She behaved strangely at the party.
• She can sing melodiously.

List of Describing Words For Kids

Describing words and examples need to be studied to learn adjectives and adverbs. Here, we present a list of describing words for classes 1, 2 and 3:

Commonly Used Describing Words

Commonly used describing words are adverbs that give us a measure of time, place, degree, manner and circumstances. They are part of our everyday conversation. Here are 20 of the most commonly used words that children need to learn to build good communication skills:

Amazing	Kindly	Usually	Terribly
Absolutely	Interesting	Sincerely	Commonly
Remarkably	Happy	Charming	Lovingly
Normally	Significantly	Delightful	Pleasurable
Quickly	Generally	Tremendously	Pleasing

Describing Words to Describe Personality & Feelings

Every time we describe people, we use personality describing words that hint at one or more qualities of the person. The same idea applies to feelings- we often use more than one word to describe what we are feeling and going through. Here are some of the common descriptive words for personality and feelings:

Personality	Feelings
Creative	Happy
Kind	Joyful
Cheerful	Ecstatic
Adventurous	Glad
Brave	Serene
Funny	Angry
Honest	Sad
Calm	Gloomy
Silly	Respectful
Loyal	Miserable
Proud	Moody
Nervous	Selfish
Clumsy	Grumpy
Friendly	Merry
Nice
Inventive
Lively
Caring
Helpful
Wise
Strong

Describing Words to Describe Food & Colors

Children love eating different types of food and need to learn a variety of words to describe its taste and texture. The same applies to colours as they are related to learning, painting, segregating and playing. Here are describing words for food and colours:

Food	Colours
Sweet	Red
Spicy	Yellow
Tart	Blue
Sour	Green
Bitter	Orange
Sharp	Purple
Pungent	Violet
Delicious	Pink
Yummy	Colourful
Peppery	Bright
Salty	Vivid
Savoury	Brilliant
Tangy	Vibrant
Bland	Colourless
Buttery	Opaque
Fresh	Dim
Fruity
Nutty

Describing Words to Describe Smell & Sounds

Smells are closely related to taste and have similar-sounding meanings in a few descriptive words. Sounds produce an entirely different sensation and have some words to describe the same. Here are frequently used descriptive words for smells and sounds:

Sound	Smell
Loud	Aromatic
Noisy	Fishy
Quiet	Odorous
Silent	Piquant
Raspy	Scented
Melodious	Rosy
	Flowery
	Stinky

Positive Describing Words For Children

It’s important to regularly use good descriptive words to elicit positive thoughts and feelings in children. These words will later become a part of their inner voice that shapes their personalities. Here is a list of positive words your children should regularly use:

Affectionate	Charming
Generous	Creative
Determined	Imaginative
Likeable	Diplomatic
Sincere	Helpful
Capable	Glittering
Productive	Motivated

Descriptive Words That Begin With Letter ‘A’ To ‘Z’

Now that we know the essential descriptive words, we can go deeper into words children can learn over time. Descriptive words make it precisely express our thoughts, ideas or feelings. Children need to be aware of many such words to construct and communicate complex concepts as they grow older. Here are descriptive words from A to Z.

Abandoned	Ambitious	Alert
Affordable	Arrogant	Amused
Adaptable	Beautiful	Brilliant
Baffling	Basic	Blushing
Busy	Bossy	Calm
Cunning	Clever	Captivating
Crisp	Casual	Creative
Daring	Dangerous	Dominating
Decent	Diverse	Divine
Deep	Eagerly	Effortless
Easily	Energetic	Exciting
Eccentric	Empty	Frequently
Flawless	Fabulous	Fine
Fancy	Fashionable	Fantastic
Good	Great	Giant
Glamorous	Grieving	Gentle
Glad	Heartfelt	Healthy
Hurry	Harmful	Hard
Humane	High-spirited	Idolise
Impossible	Idle	Improper
Illegal	Intriguing	Immoral
Jolly	Jovial	Joyous
Jarring	Jealous	Juvenile
Judicious	Kind	Known
Kinetic	Keen	Knowledgeable
Kingly	Kindred	Lovingly
Large	Lately	Lonely
Lucky	Legendary	Liberated
Majestic	Magnificent	Massive
Marginal	Merry	Moderate
Malicious	Nearby	Noble
Naughty	Native	Neutral
Natural	Needy	Nowhere
Ordinary	Outstanding	Organic
Orthodox	Overrated	Overhang
Omniscient	Protective	Periodically
Playfully	Precise	Peaceful
Productive	Popular	Queer
Quickly	Quietly	Quirky
Quarrelsome	Qualified	Radiant
Reliable	Rare	Remarkable
Romantic	Rampant	Reluctant
Striking	Speedy	Spirited
Sophisticated	Sleepy	Sly
Stylish	Tactical	Terrific
Talkative	Tempting	Tight
Tough	Tempt	Urgent
Unique	Unfriendly	Ugly
Unaffected	Unusual	Universal
Versatile	Virtuous	Vulnerable
Verifiable	Vigilant	Valuable
Voluntary	Valiant	Villainous
Wise	Whimsical	Wicked
Witty	Warm	Wealthy
Whole-heartedly	Wanted	Xenodochial
Xeric	Young	Youthful
Yawning	Yummy	Zealful
Zealous	Zestful	Zoological

How Can You Help Your Child Learn Describing Words Easily?

Language develops slowly over the years as it takes time for children to add words to their vocabulary. While some describing words are best learnt through practice via adjective games, most can be used in everyday conversations. To make it easy for them to remember the words, you can introduce them in the form of games such as “describe yourself” in one word or sentence that uses a new describing word. You can also ask them to describe different flavours and sounds when the opportunity presents itself. Feelings and emotions take longer to recognise and label. However, they can learn through stories and experiences.

When it comes to learning descriptive words, practice and variety are key. While it is impossible to learn all the words in a short time, frequent use of words makes it easy for the kids to grasp the meaning of words and use it in sentences. Over the years, your child will add dozens of new words to their vocabulary as their communication refines.

Also Read:

Words that Start with Ch for Kids to Learn
Words that Start with Dis for Children
Compound Words for Kids with Types and Examples

Do you want to make your writing more engaging? Check out this descriptive words list with 400 words you can use today. 

As you strive to be a more engaging writer, using descriptive words can help. It’s easy to over-use these words, but sprinkling them in here and there is a great way to colorize your writing.

Descriptive words are adjectives, which describe nouns and pronouns, or adverbs, which describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. Identifying and using these will help you write stronger pieces and descriptive essays.

This descriptive words list is a good place to start. It also pairs nicely with our list of mood words.

Contents

• Descriptive Words List: 400 Words to Make Your Writing More Colorful
• List of Descriptive Adjectives in English
• A Final Word on Descriptive Words List
• FAQs on Descriptive Words List
• Author

Descriptive words take writing from boring to engaging. Consider this sentence:

• She swam across the water.

While this tells you what is happening, it has little to help you imagine the scene. If you add some adjectives and adverbs and transform the statement to this:

• She swam speedily across the choppy water.

Now you have a better picture of what happened. In order to transform your writing in this way, you need a number of descriptive words at the ready, and this list of descriptive words will help.

List of Descriptive Adjectives in English

Adjectives are the most common type of descriptive words, so first we will look at these. These words describe features like shape, texture, color, and size. They help differentiate between items in a group by calling out distinguishing features.

In English grammar, you can use the following to describe nouns and pronouns:

1. Abandoned
2. Abrupt
3. Academic
4. Acute
5. Admirable
6. Adorable
7. Adventurous
8. Acclaimed
9. Accomplished
10. Acrobatic
11. Afraid
12. Aggressive
13. Alarmed
14. Amused
15. Ancient
16. Angelic
17. Angry
18. Babyish
19. Bad
20. Baggy
21. Beloved
22. Bewitched
23. Bitter
24. Blank
25. Bleak
26. Blind
27. Blushing
28. Bored
29. Bouncy
30. Brave
31. Bright
32. Brilliant
33. Buoyant
34. Busy
35. Buzzing
36. Calm
37. Carefree
38. Careful
39. Cautious
40. Cavernous
41. Charming
42. Cheerful
43. Chubby
44. Classic
45. Clean
46. Clear
47. Clever
48. Cloudy
49. Cluttered
50. Clumsy
51. Course
52. Cold
53. Colorful
54. Comfortable
55. Common
56. Composed
57. Concerning
58. Confusing
59. Creepy
60. Cruel
61. Cuddly
62. Curious
63. Curly
64. Cute
65. Damaged
66. Dangerous
67. Dark
68. Dazzling
69. Dear
70. Decent
71. Deep
72. Defiant
73. Delicious
74. Demanding
75. Dense
76. Devoted
77. Dim
78. Dirty
79. Disfigured
80. Drab
81. Dull
82. Early
83. Easy
84. Easy-going
85. Edible
86. Elastic
87. Elderly
88. Electric
89. Embellished
90. Emotional
91. Empty
92. Enchanted
93. Energetic
94. Envious
95. Enthusiastic
96. Ethical
97. Euphoric
98. Everlasting
99. Evil
100. Exotic
101. Exuberant
102. Fashionable
103. Faithful
104. Famous
105. Fancy
106. Fantastic
107. Fatal
108. Fearful
109. Female
110. Filthy
111. Firm
112. Flat
113. Flawed
114. Flustered
115. Focused
116. Foolhardy
117. Gregarious
118. Grim
119. Handsome
120. Handy
121. Intelligent
122. Intrepid
123. Jocular
124. Jovial
125. Joyful
126. Jubilant
127. Keen
128. Kind
129. Lanky
130. Lazy
131. Limp
132. Luxurious
133. Mediocre
134. Mellow
135. Miserable
136. Nocturnal
137. Naive
138. Nasty
139. Neat
140. Needy
141. Negative
142. Nervous
143. Nice
144. Organic
145. Ornate
146. Ordinary
147. Powerless
148. Practical
149. Precious
150. Puzzled
151. Quarrelsome
152. Querulous 
153. Questionable
154. Quirky
155. Ragged
156. Rapid
157. Ready
158. Recent
159. Regal
160. Reliable
161. Sad
162. Sandy
163. Sane
164. Scarce
165. Scented
166. Scornful
167. Secret
168. Selfish
169. Super
170. Talented
171. Tame
172. Tasty
173. Tender
174. Tense
175. Terse
176. Terrible
177. Thankful
178. Thoughtful
179. Thoughtless
180. Tired
181. Tough
182. Troubling
183. Ugly
184. Uninterested
185. Unusual
186. Upset
187. Uptight
188. Varied
189. Vast
190. Victorious
191. Vivacious
192. Wandering
193. Weary
194. Wicked
195. Wide
196. Wild
197. Witty
198. Worrisome
199. Wrong
200. Young
201. Zealous

This list is not exhaustive, and there are many synonyms and other words that could be added. In addition, all colors are considered adjectives and describing words. Nationalities, like American or English, can also fit this list.

As you work on creating descriptive writing, get used to using these and similar words. You might also find our list of pronouns useful.

Example Sentences Using Adjectives

To better understand how adjectives look in sentences, consider these examples:

• The fuzzy red fox jumped over the tall fence. (red, tall)
• We like to visit the beautiful forest (beautiful)
• The garden shed feels damp this morning. (garden, damp)
• The trip to Disney World was magical. (magical)
• The beautiful bird sat on the rough branch and sang. (beautiful, rough)
• The woman is short, but her husband is tall. (short, tall)
• I prefer cold climates. (cold)
• The luxurious hotel included soft robes for each guest. (luxurious, soft, each)

Common Endings for Adjectives

Because listing all adjectives in the English language is impossible, knowing their endings is helpful, especially for ESL language learners. Some of the common endings for adjectives include:

• -al
• -an
• -ar
• -ful
• -ic
• -ical
• -ine
• -ile
• -ive
• -less
• -ous
• -some

If you see a word ending in one of these, and you know it isn’t a noun, chances are high it is an adjective.

List of Adverbs in English

The English language also uses adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. These descriptive words show intensity, number and extent. They often end in -ly.

1. Abnormally
2. Accidentally
3. Actually
4. Aggressively
5. Always
6. Amusingly
7. Anxiously
8. Angrily
9. Annually
10. Apathetically
11. Assertively
12. Astronomically
13. Awkwardly
14. Badly
15. Bashfully
16. Beautifully
17. Begrudgingly
18. Bitterly
19. Blindly
20. Blissfully
21. Blearily 
22. Boastfully
23. Boldly
24. Bravely
25. Brightly
26. Briskly
27. Broadly
28. Busily
29. Carefully
30. Carelessly
31. Cheerfully
32. Clearly
33. Closely
34. Cooly
35. Coyly
36. Crazily
37. Crossly
38. Daily
39. Daintily
40. Deceivingly
41. Deeply
42. Defiantly
43. Definitely
44. Deftly
45. Deliberately
46. Devotedly
47. Differently
48. Diligently
49. Dimly
50. Doubtfully
51. Dramatically
52. Dutifully
53. Eagerly
54. Early
55. Easily
56. Elegantly
57. Emotionally
58. Enormously
59. Equally
60. Especially
61. Evenly
62. Eventually
63. Exactly
64. Exceptionally
65. Faithfully
66. Faintly
67. Faithfully
68. Far
69. Fast
70. Fervently
71. Fiercely
72. Finally
73. Finitely
74. Foolishly
75. Frequently
76. Frightfully
77. Frenetically
78. Frivolously
79. Gladly
80. Gleefully
81. Gracefully
82. Graciously
83. Greatly
84. Greedily
85. Happily
86. Hard
87. Hastily
88. Honestly
89. Hopelessly
90. Hourly
91. Humorously
92. Humbly
93. Hungrily
94. Hysterically
95. Innocently
96. Inquisitively
97. Irritably
98. Intelligently
99. Impressively
100. Jealously
101. Jovially
102. Jubilantly
103. Justly
104. Kindly
105. Knowingly
106. Late
107. Lazily
108. Less
109. Loosely
110. Lovingly
111. Ludicrously
112. Madly
113. Meagerly
114. Mercifully
115. Merrily
116. Methodically
117. Morally
118. More
119. Mortally
120. Mysteriously
121. Naturally
122. Nearly
123. Neglectfully
124. Nervously
125. Never
126. Nicely
127. Normally
128. Not
129. Obediently
130. Obnoxiously
131. Occasionally
132. Often
133. Only
134. Perfectly
135. Politely
136. Poorly
137. Powerfully
138. Promptly
139. Pointlessly
140. Powerfully
141. Quickly
142. Rapidly
143. Rarely
144. Really
145. Regularly
146. Rashly
147. Rudely
148. Safely
149. Seldom
150. Selfishly
151. Seriously
152. Shakily
153. Sharply
154. Significantly
155. Silently
156. Slightly
157. Slowly
158. Solemnly
159. Sometimes
160. Speedily
161. Splendidly 
162. Straight
163. Sternly
164. Substantially
165. Tactfully
166. Tragically
167. Technically
168. Tediously
169. Unexpectedly
170. Uprightly
171. Urgently
172. Usefully
173. Usually
174. Vacantly
175. Vastly
176. Very
177. Victoriously
178. Vitally 
179. Vivaciously
180. Vividly
181. Voluntarily
182. Warmly
183. Weakly
184. Wearily
185. Weekly
186. Weirdly
187. Well
188. Wholly
189. Wildly
190. Willfully
191. Wisely
192. Worriedly
193. Wrong
194. Wrongly
195. Yearly
196. Yearningly
197. Yesterday
198. Youthfully
199. Zealously
200. Zestfully

Again, this is not an exhaustive list. As you learn to identify adverbs or use them in your own writing, look for words that describe verbs and other descriptive words and end in -ly.

Editing tip: Sometimes adverbs can also serve as filler words that you can remove or use to slow down or speed up a piece.

Example Sentences Using Adverbs

To better understand how adverbs show up in sentences as descriptive words, consider these examples:

• The electric car drove so quietly we didn’t hear it coming. (so, quietly)
• My dog barked angrily at the intruder. (angrily)
• The girls sang beautifully. (beautifully)
• He swam across the pool quickly. (quickly)
• The box is surprisingly heavy for its size. (surprisingly) 
• The toddler walked very carefully across the slippery floor. (very, carefully)
• Language learning is incredibly easy for some students, and incredibly hard for others (incredibly)

A Final Word on Descriptive Words List

As you learn how to become a better writer, descriptive language is a big part of the picture. Adjectives and adverbs are the parts of speech that allow you to describe other things vividly. While you can overuse them, they can add color and interest to your writing when used well.

Keep this list of descriptive words handy. When you have a need, pull it out and find one that fits your writing. Whether you’re writing a sentence, short story or an entire novel, you’ll find it easier to get descriptive when you have these words on hand.

Check Like this? Check out our list of sensory words.

FAQs on Descriptive Words List

What are some good descriptive words?

Descriptive words are words that make something easier to identify by describing its characteristics. Some good words that fit this include:
Bright
Adventurous
Jovial
Charming
Peaceful

What words describe movement?

Some descriptive words describe the movement of an object. These include:
Swiftly
Fluidly
Gracefully
Smoothly
Disjointedly

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  Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today’s online marketing world.

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