Descriptive Words

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.

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.

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

2. 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

3. 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

2. 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

3. 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

Related: Words that Start with A

Descriptive Words that Start with B

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

Related: Words that Start with B

Descriptive Words that Start with C

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

Related: Words that Start with C

Descriptive Words that Start with D

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

Related: Words that Start with D

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

Related: Words that Start with E

Descriptive Words that Start with F

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

Related: Words that Start with F

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

Related: Words that Start with G

Descriptive Words that Start with H

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

Related: Words that Start with H

Descriptive Words that Start with I

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

Related: Words that Start with I

Descriptive Words that Start with J

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

Related: Words that Start with J

Descriptive Words that Start with K

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

Related: Words that Start with K

Descriptive Words that Start with L

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

Related: Words that Start with L

Descriptive Words that Start with M

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

Related: Words that Start with M

Descriptive Words that Start with N

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

Related: Words that Start with N

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

Related: Words that Start with O

Descriptive Words that Start with P

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

Related: Words that Start with P

Descriptive Words that Start with Q

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

Related: Words that Start with Q

Descriptive Words that Start with R

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

Related: Words that Start with R

Descriptive Words that Start with S

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

Related: Words that Start with S

Descriptive Words that Start with T

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

Related: Words that Start with T

Descriptive Words that Start with U

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

Related: Words that Start with U

Descriptive Words that Start with V

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

Related: Words that Start with V

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

Related: Words that Start with W

Descriptive Words that Start with X

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

Related: Words that Start with X

Descriptive Words that Start with Y

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

Related: Words that Start with Y

Descriptive Words that Start with Z

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

Related: Words that Start with Z

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