Table of Contents
- What is a clause definition?
- What is described as a group of two or more than two words related to one another that constitute a single?
- What do you call a group of words that function as a single part of speech?
- What are examples of unique qualities?
- How do you describe a unique person?
- How do you use the word unique?
- How do you describe something unique?
- Is being called unique a compliment?
- How do you say something is special?
- Does Unique mean special?
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
- unique. Being the only one of its kind:
- extraordinary. Going far beyond the ordinary degree, measure, limit, etc.; very unusual; exceptional; remarkable.
- particular.
- important.
- extravaganza.
- specific.
- express.
- 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.
- A characterizing word can be either an adjective or an adverb, depending on the situation.
- Nouns and pronouns are described by adjectives.
- Adverbs are used to characterize verbs.
- Describing words provide us with more information about people and locations, as well as making our work more engaging.
- 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.
- She gave it to Connie, detailing the front door and the rest of the house.
- I suppose the best way to describe it is as a ″situation.″
- Carmen and Alex were eating dinner at Katie and Bill’s house again the following weekend, and Alex was discussing a location in Columbia.
- Groucho soon went on, recounting the events that had transpired.
What do you call a describing word?
- This is said with a voice that does not rise and fall in pitch.
- This term is frequently used to describe the dialect of individuals who originate in a given place.
- The voice of a person who has a hoarse voice is low and harsh, generally because the person’s throat is in pain.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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
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Describing words! Heard of them? What do you think they are? Any idea what part of speech they belong to? Well, check out the article to find out answers to all these questions.
Table of Contents
- What are Describing Words? – Meaning, Definition and Functions
- Types of Describing Words in English
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- 20 Describing Words that are Commonly Used in English
- Describing Words that Start with the letters ‘A’ to ‘Z’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘A’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘B’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘C’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘D’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘E’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘F’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘G’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘H’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘I’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘J’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘K’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘L’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘M’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘N’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘O’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘P’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘Q’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘R’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘S’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘T’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘U’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘V’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘W’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘X’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘Y’
- Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘Z’
- Frequently Asked Questions on Describing Words
What are Describing Words? – Meaning, Definition and Functions
Describing words are words that are used to describe or provide additional information about a thing. Such words are used to describe a person, place, event, situation etc. In most cases, a descriptive term is used to intensify the expression of the individuals.
The word ‘describe’, according to the Collins Dictionary, is defined as something that is used “to represent or delineate by a picture or figure”, and according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the term ‘describe’ is defined as “to say or write what someone or something is like.” Hence, it can be said that words that are used to say or write about how something is done or how someone or something behaves in a given situation.
As far as the functions of describing words are concerned, it can be said that they perform the roles of adverbs and adjectives. In simpler terms, it can be said that adverbs and adjectives can be considered as describing words.
Take a look at the types of describing words in the English language to attain a little more clarity.
Types of Describing Words in English
There are mainly two types of describing words in English. They are the ‘adjectives’ and the ‘adverbs’. Both adjectives and adverbs are very useful and are frequently used in conversations to describe or provide more information about a noun, a verb, and adjective or an adverb.
Adjectives
As we all know, an adjective is used to describe a noun or a pronoun that acts as a subject or an object. Adjectives can provide additional information about a noun or a pronoun, like its size, shape, colour, look, etc.
A few examples of adjectives are given below.
- The boy is tall.
- She is very smart.
- Our car is red in colour.
- He is an American citizen.
- It is a luxurious hotel.
- He is an intelligent boy.
- The dish was very spicy.
- She wore a beautiful dress.
- My table is a short one.
- That man was very kind to her.
Adverbs
An adverb describes a verb or anything in the sentence apart from a noun and pronoun. It modifies a verb, an adjective, a clause, or even another adverb.
A few examples of adverbs are given below.
- The birds were chirping loudly.
- The girl sang melodiously.
- He drives very carefully.
- He quickly climbed the wall.
- She swims well.
- Stars were twinkling brightly.
- She is a quick learner.
- The deer ran very fast to escape from its predator.
- That lady frequently visited the shop.
- He behaved strangely last night.
20 Describing Words That Are Commonly Used in English
A list of 20 frequently used describing words in the English language is given below. Go through the list and learn them to improve your communication skills.
Amazing | Interesting | Charming | Pleasurable |
Kindly | Sincerely | Lovingly | Quickly |
Usually | Commonly | Normally | Generally |
Terribly | Remarkably | Significantly | Tremendously |
Absolutely | Happy | Delightful | Pleasing |
Describing Words that Start with the Letters ‘A’ to ‘Z’
With the use of describing words, a person can provide additional details about the condition of something. Describing words lessen the complexity of expressions by providing more information with the use of little words. A comprehensive list of describing words in alphabetical order is given below. Go through the list and learn them.
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘A’
Abandoned | Aesthetic | Abundant | Awful |
Attentive | Acceptable | Accomplished | Authentic |
Active | Adequate | Adorable | Adventurous |
Affordable | Alert | Ambitious | Amused |
Arrogant | Adaptable | Admiring | Abnormal |
Ageless | Academic | Achy | Aweless |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘B’
Beautiful | Barbaric | Brilliant | Beneficial |
Babyish | Blue-eyed | Bookish | Balanced |
Baffling | Basic | Blushing | Brainy |
Bewildered | Busy | Bewildering | Bossy |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘C’
Calm | Cute | Cunning | Carefully |
Cautiously | Currently | Clever | Charmingly |
Crisp | Clear | Captivating | Charisma |
Casual | Carefree | Creative | Comfortable |
Cheerful | Courageous | Captivating | Careless |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘D’
Dear | Dangerous | Daring | Dominant |
Depressed | Dramatic | Damaged | Defeated |
Determined | Decent | Dynamic | Dutiful |
Delightful | Delicious | Diverse | Divine |
Deep | Different | Deluxe | Discrete |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘E’
Eagerly | Efficient | Effortless | Enigmatic |
Energetic | Easily | Entirely | Exemplary |
Elegant | Exciting | Enchanting | Eye-catching |
Emotional | Easy-Going | Earthly | Enthusiastic |
Empty | Eccentric | Exclusive | Ecstatic |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘F’
Frequently | Fast | Flawlessly | Finely |
Fabulous | Forgiving | Fearless | Faithful |
Factual | Fine | Fancy | Frightened |
Free | Famous | Fascinated | Fake |
Fashionable | Foreign | Fatherly | Fantastic |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘G’
Good | Great | Generous | Giant |
Ghostly | Glad | Glowing | Grateful |
Glamorous | Gloomy | Grieving | Guarded |
Good-looking | Graceful | Gentle | Gifted |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘H’
Heartfelt | Hard | Hurry | Harmonious |
Humourless | Hilarious | Handsome | Harmful |
Handed | Healthy | Heroic | Humongous |
Homely | High-spirited | Heavenly | Humane |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘I’
Iconic | Idolise | Impossible | Idle |
Improper | Icy | Immune | Inexpensive |
Intense | Improbable | Intriguing | Immortal |
Illegal | Idealistic | Inspiring | Ideal |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘J’
Jolly | Jovial | Joyful | Joyous |
Judicious | Jealous | Jarring | Jaunty |
Jubilant | Jumpy | Justifying | Justifiable |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘K’
Kind | Known | Kind-hearted | Kingly |
Kinetic | Keen | Knowledgeable | Kindred |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘L’
Lovingly | Lasting | Lately | Loudly |
Lavish | Living | Large | Luxurious |
Lingual | Logical | Lion-hearted | Less |
Lonely | Local | Lucky | Lyrical |
Lazy | Legitimate | Legendary | Leading |
Long | Lenient | Lawful | Limited |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘M’
Melodiously | Miniscule | Musically | Majestic |
Motherly | Magnificient | Masculine | Malicious |
Magical | Mandatory | Malleable | Manipulative |
Man-made | Master | Massive | Materialistic |
Marginal | Manageable | Married | Melancholic |
Mathematical | Memorable | Maternal | Marvellous |
Medicinal | Moderate | Merry | Modern |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘N’
New | Nearby | Noble | Nice |
Naughty | Nameless | Nasty | Nervous |
Necessary | Native | Neat | Neutral |
Narcissistic | Noticeably | Negligible | Normally |
Narrowly | Newsworthy | Nowhere | Nonstop |
Needy | Natural | Naiive | Navigational |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘O’
Ordinary | Outstanding | Original | Organic |
Obedient | Optimistic | Opposing | Odourless |
Occasional | Orthodox | Oriental | Overrated |
Omniscient | Occupied | Opposite | Offer |
Overthink | Openhearted | Official | Odd |
Overprotective | Observingly | Overjoyed | Old-fashioned |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘P’
Patriotic | Pleasurably | Protective | Pleasingly |
Periodically | Playfully | Passively | Progressively |
Puzzling | Peaceful | Precise | Proper |
Painful | Premium | Painless | Pretty |
Productive | Passionately | Popular | Provocative |
Pessimistic | Paranormal | Parliamentary | Pathetic |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘Q’
Quickly | Questioning | Quietly | Quotable |
Queer | Quirky | Quarrelsome | Qualified |
Describing Words that Starts with the letter ‘R’
Real | Radiant | Recognisable | Rejuvenating |
Remarkable | Reasonable | Reliable | Rare |
Revolutionary | Reliable | Responsible | Renowned |
Romantic | Rampant | Repulsive | Reluctant |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘S’
Super | Socially | Sincerely | Strict |
Strongly | Significant | Secretly | Scientific |
Striking | Selfless | Sporty | Sharp |
Sweet | Speedy | Stereotypical | Sarcastic |
Special | Sublime | Spirited | Stunning |
Stylish | Sophisticated | Safely | Splendid |
Sad | Strange | Sleepy | Shy |
Sensitive | Sly | Sparkling | Slow |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘T’
Trustable | Tactical | Tasty | Tender |
Tasteful | Thoughtful | Thrilling | Terrific |
Talented | Touching | Truthful | Triumphant |
Tough | Tight | Tempting | Thankful |
Talkative | Tall | Tremendous | Trustworthy |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘U’
Urgent | Useless | Unique | Useful |
Unfamiliar | Unfocused | Unfriendly | Unhappy |
Unfavourable | Unhealthy | Unfortunate | Ungraceful |
Uninterested | Ugly | Ultimate | Universal |
Unaffected | Unbelievable | Unusual | Unpleasant |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘V’
Versed | Versatile | Virtuous | Vulnerable |
Verifiable | Villainous | Voluntary | Voiceless |
Victorious | Various | Vigilant | Valuable |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘W’
Warmhearted | Well-behaved | Wild | Weak |
Wise | Whimsical | Wealthy | Wicked |
Witty | Wordy | Wonderful | Winning |
Warm | Wholeheartedly | Willfully | Wanted |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘X’
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘Y’
Young | Youthful | Yawning | Yummy |
Describing Words that Start with the Letter ‘Z’
Zealful | Zealous | Zestful | Zoological |
Frequently Asked Questions on Describing Words
Q1
What are describing words and what are the benefits of using them in the English language?
Describing words are words that are used to describe or provide additional information about a thing. Such terms are used to describe a person, place, event, situation etc. There are numerous describing words in the English language. In most cases, a descriptive word is used to intensify the expression of the individuals.
Q2
What are the different types of describing words in the English language?
There are mainly two types of describing words in the English language. They are ‘adjectives’ and ‘adverbs’. An adjective is used to describe a noun or pronoun. They provide additional information about a noun or pronoun, like its size, shape, colour, look, etc. In contrast, an adverb describes a verb or anything in the sentence apart from a noun and pronoun.These describing words are very useful and are frequently used in conversations in English.
Q3
List some describing words in the English language.
Active, Adequate, Adorable, Adventurous, Affordable, Alert, Ambitious, Amused, Beautiful, Barbaric, Brilliant, Beneficial, Babyish, Patriotic, Protective, Pleasingly, Pleasurably, Periodically, Passively, Progressively, Playfully, Urgent, Unique, Useful, Useless, Unfamiliar, Unfriendly, Unhappy, Unifocused, Unfavourable, Unfortunate, Ungraceful, Trustable, Tasty, Tender, Tactical, Tasteful, Thrilling, Terrific, Thoughtful, Talented, Truthful, Frequently, Fast, Fantastic, Fascinated, Fabulous, Forgiving, Fearless, Melodiously, Musically, Manly, Marvellous, Motherly, Masculine, Magnificient, Majestic, Magical, Jolly, Jovial, Justifying, Joyous.
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
- 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 |
- 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 |
- 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
- 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 |
- 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 |
- 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
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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
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Words that describe people, places and things (nouns) are called
adjectives. Words that describe actions (verbs) are called adverbs.
A general term for describing words is modifier.
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Descriptive words are help visualize, describe, define, or explain information about people, places, things, situations, or actions. 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. The purpose of descriptive words is to clarify a topic.
For instance, the use of adjectives can help describe a person, place, or thing. Imagine you read a book about a superhero. You might describe this superhero as a brave superhero. The word brave gives us a better idea of what kind of person the superhero is or what he does. Other adjectives could help us understand more about this superhero. He may be tall and strong. Both these tell us about this superhero’s physical features. The descriptive words, in this case adjectives, help us clarify details about the superhero.
Adverbs can also be used as descriptive language to help describe action, or how someone does something. Instead of simply saying, “John ran down the street,” we can describe how he ran. We might say, instead, “John quickly ran down the street.” The descriptive word quickly helps us to have a better picture of how John went down the street.
Descriptive words can also be words that carry clear meaning. For instance, the word “teacher” indicates someone who instructs students or someone who conveys information to others. However, other words can carry clearer meaning. A “professor” is also a teacher, but we generally think of a “professor” as someone who teaches within a college or university. The word “professor” is more descriptive and distinct than “teacher,” which is a vague word.
Verbs can also be used carefully to help paint a clearer picture of what someone is doing. When we hear the word “talking,” we think of someone calmly discussing a topic with someone else. When we hear the word “yelling,” we think of the opposite of “talking.” The word “yelling” makes us think of someone raising his/her voice at someone else. The word “walking” is different than the word “running.” The language we use helps paint a picture of what is happening around us and what is happening in stories.
Descriptive words take all of our five senses into account–touch, taste, sight, smell, and sound. A room may look tidy or dirty. Cookies may smell sweet. Lemons can taste bitter. A lollipop might feel sticky. Descriptive language better explains what something is like, what people are like, or how someone takes action. Descriptive language can tell us what the weather is like. For instance, it may be raining or drizzling outside. Descriptive language tells us the shapes of things, such as square or circular. These words can describe color, such as red or green. They can also tell us what people do, such as artist, storyteller, costume designer, athletic trainer, coach, or chef.
Descriptive words Worksheets
This bundle contains 5 ready-to-use Descriptive words worksheets that are perfect to test student knowledge and understanding of what Descriptive words are. You can use these Descriptive words worksheets in the classroom with students, or with home schooled children as well.
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Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.
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What Are Describing Words?
- What Are The Types Of Describing Words?
- List of Describing Words For Kids
- Descriptive Words That Begin With Letter ‘A’ To ‘Z’
- How Can You Help Your Child Learn Describing Words Easily?
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:
- Abandoned
- Abrupt
- Academic
- Acute
- Admirable
- Adorable
- Adventurous
- Acclaimed
- Accomplished
- Acrobatic
- Afraid
- Aggressive
- Alarmed
- Amused
- Ancient
- Angelic
- Angry
- Babyish
- Bad
- Baggy
- Beloved
- Bewitched
- Bitter
- Blank
- Bleak
- Blind
- Blushing
- Bored
- Bouncy
- Brave
- Bright
- Brilliant
- Buoyant
- Busy
- Buzzing
- Calm
- Carefree
- Careful
- Cautious
- Cavernous
- Charming
- Cheerful
- Chubby
- Classic
- Clean
- Clear
- Clever
- Cloudy
- Cluttered
- Clumsy
- Course
- Cold
- Colorful
- Comfortable
- Common
- Composed
- Concerning
- Confusing
- Creepy
- Cruel
- Cuddly
- Curious
- Curly
- Cute
- Damaged
- Dangerous
- Dark
- Dazzling
- Dear
- Decent
- Deep
- Defiant
- Delicious
- Demanding
- Dense
- Devoted
- Dim
- Dirty
- Disfigured
- Drab
- Dull
- Early
- Easy
- Easy-going
- Edible
- Elastic
- Elderly
- Electric
- Embellished
- Emotional
- Empty
- Enchanted
- Energetic
- Envious
- Enthusiastic
- Ethical
- Euphoric
- Everlasting
- Evil
- Exotic
- Exuberant
- Fashionable
- Faithful
- Famous
- Fancy
- Fantastic
- Fatal
- Fearful
- Female
- Filthy
- Firm
- Flat
- Flawed
- Flustered
- Focused
- Foolhardy
- Gregarious
- Grim
- Handsome
- Handy
- Intelligent
- Intrepid
- Jocular
- Jovial
- Joyful
- Jubilant
- Keen
- Kind
- Lanky
- Lazy
- Limp
- Luxurious
- Mediocre
- Mellow
- Miserable
- Nocturnal
- Naive
- Nasty
- Neat
- Needy
- Negative
- Nervous
- Nice
- Organic
- Ornate
- Ordinary
- Powerless
- Practical
- Precious
- Puzzled
- Quarrelsome
- Querulous
- Questionable
- Quirky
- Ragged
- Rapid
- Ready
- Recent
- Regal
- Reliable
- Sad
- Sandy
- Sane
- Scarce
- Scented
- Scornful
- Secret
- Selfish
- Super
- Talented
- Tame
- Tasty
- Tender
- Tense
- Terse
- Terrible
- Thankful
- Thoughtful
- Thoughtless
- Tired
- Tough
- Troubling
- Ugly
- Uninterested
- Unusual
- Upset
- Uptight
- Varied
- Vast
- Victorious
- Vivacious
- Wandering
- Weary
- Wicked
- Wide
- Wild
- Witty
- Worrisome
- Wrong
- Young
- 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.
- Abnormally
- Accidentally
- Actually
- Aggressively
- Always
- Amusingly
- Anxiously
- Angrily
- Annually
- Apathetically
- Assertively
- Astronomically
- Awkwardly
- Badly
- Bashfully
- Beautifully
- Begrudgingly
- Bitterly
- Blindly
- Blissfully
- Blearily
- Boastfully
- Boldly
- Bravely
- Brightly
- Briskly
- Broadly
- Busily
- Carefully
- Carelessly
- Cheerfully
- Clearly
- Closely
- Cooly
- Coyly
- Crazily
- Crossly
- Daily
- Daintily
- Deceivingly
- Deeply
- Defiantly
- Definitely
- Deftly
- Deliberately
- Devotedly
- Differently
- Diligently
- Dimly
- Doubtfully
- Dramatically
- Dutifully
- Eagerly
- Early
- Easily
- Elegantly
- Emotionally
- Enormously
- Equally
- Especially
- Evenly
- Eventually
- Exactly
- Exceptionally
- Faithfully
- Faintly
- Faithfully
- Far
- Fast
- Fervently
- Fiercely
- Finally
- Finitely
- Foolishly
- Frequently
- Frightfully
- Frenetically
- Frivolously
- Gladly
- Gleefully
- Gracefully
- Graciously
- Greatly
- Greedily
- Happily
- Hard
- Hastily
- Honestly
- Hopelessly
- Hourly
- Humorously
- Humbly
- Hungrily
- Hysterically
- Innocently
- Inquisitively
- Irritably
- Intelligently
- Impressively
- Jealously
- Jovially
- Jubilantly
- Justly
- Kindly
- Knowingly
- Late
- Lazily
- Less
- Loosely
- Lovingly
- Ludicrously
- Madly
- Meagerly
- Mercifully
- Merrily
- Methodically
- Morally
- More
- Mortally
- Mysteriously
- Naturally
- Nearly
- Neglectfully
- Nervously
- Never
- Nicely
- Normally
- Not
- Obediently
- Obnoxiously
- Occasionally
- Often
- Only
- Perfectly
- Politely
- Poorly
- Powerfully
- Promptly
- Pointlessly
- Powerfully
- Quickly
- Rapidly
- Rarely
- Really
- Regularly
- Rashly
- Rudely
- Safely
- Seldom
- Selfishly
- Seriously
- Shakily
- Sharply
- Significantly
- Silently
- Slightly
- Slowly
- Solemnly
- Sometimes
- Speedily
- Splendidly
- Straight
- Sternly
- Substantially
- Tactfully
- Tragically
- Technically
- Tediously
- Unexpectedly
- Uprightly
- Urgently
- Usefully
- Usually
- Vacantly
- Vastly
- Very
- Victoriously
- Vitally
- Vivaciously
- Vividly
- Voluntarily
- Warmly
- Weakly
- Wearily
- Weekly
- Weirdly
- Well
- Wholly
- Wildly
- Willfully
- Wisely
- Worriedly
- Wrong
- Wrongly
- Yearly
- Yearningly
- Yesterday
- Youthfully
- Zealously
- 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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1 Answer
Lupa N.
Mar 24, 2016
A descriptive word is a word that describes another word.
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