Looking at examples of adjectives can make it easier to understand how these important parts of speech are used in the English language.
Popular Adjectives
An adjective is a word that describes, identifies or further defines a noun or a pronoun. There are thousands of adjectives available to describe how something feels, looks, sounds, tastes and acts. Here are a few examples:
To Describe Taste
Bitter
Lemon-flavored
Spicy
Bland
Minty
Sweet
Delicious
Pickled
Tangy
Fruity
Salty
Tasty
Gingery
Sour
Yummy
To Describe Touch
Boiling
Fluffy
Sharp
Breezy
Freezing
Silky
Bumpy
Fuzzy
Slick
Chilly
Greasy
Slimy
Cold
Hard
Slippery
Cool
Hot
Smooth
Cuddly
Icy
Soft
Damp
Loose
Solid
Dirty
Melted
Sticky
Dry
Painful
Tender
Dusty
Prickly
Tight
Encrusted
Rough
Uneven
Filthy
Shaggy
Warm
Flaky
Shaky
Wet
To Describe Sound
Blaring
Melodic
Screeching
Deafening
Moaning
Shrill
Faint
Muffled
Silent
Hoarse
Mute
Soft
High-pitched
Noisy
Squealing
Hissing
Purring
Squeaking
Hushed
Quiet
Thundering
Husky
Raspy
Voiceless
Loud
Resonant
Whispering
To Describe Color
Azure
Gray
Pinkish
Black
Green
Purple
Blue
Indigo
Red
Bright
Lavender
Rosy
Brown
Light
Scarlet
Crimson
Magenta
Silver
Dark
Multicolored
Turquoise
Drab
Mustard
Violet
Dull
Orange
White
Gold
Pink
Yellow
To Describe Size
Abundant
Jumbo
Puny
Big-boned
Large
Scrawny
Chubby
Little
Short
Fat
Long
Small
Giant
Majestic
Tall
Gigantic
Mammoth
Teeny
Great
Massive
Thin
Huge
Miniature
Tiny
Immense
Petite
Vast
To Describe Shape
Blobby
Distorted
Rotund
Broad
Flat
Round
Chubby
Fluffy
Skinny
Circular
Globular
Square
Crooked
Hollow
Steep
Curved
Low
Straight
Cylindrical
Narrow
Triangular
Deep
Oval
Wide
To Describe Time
Annual
Futuristic
Rapid
Brief
Historical
Regular
Daily
Irregular
Short
Early
Late
Slow
Eternal
Long
Speed
Fast
Modern
Speedy
First
Old
Swift
Fleet
Old-fashioned
Waiting
Future
Quick
Young
To Describe an Amount
All
Heavy
One
Ample
Hundreds
Paltry
Astronomical
Large
Plentiful
Bountiful
Light
Profuse
Considerable
Limited
Several
Copious
Little
Sizable
Countless
Many
Some
Each
Measly
Sparse
Enough
Mere
Substantial
Every
Multiple
Teeming
Few
Myriad
Ten
Full
Numerous
Very
To Describe an Emotion
Abrasive
Embarrassed
Grumpy
Abrupt
Energetic
Kind
Afraid
Enraged
Lazy
Agreeable
Enthusiastic
Lively
Aggressive
Envious
Lonely
Amiable
Evil
Lucky
Amused
Excited
Mad
Angry
Exhausted
Manic
Annoyed
Exuberant
Mysterious
Ashamed
Fair
Nervous
Bad
Faithful
Obedient
Bitter
Fantastic
Obnoxious
Bewildered
Fierce
Outrageous
Boring
Fine
Panicky
Brave
Foolish
Perfect
Callous
Frantic
Persuasive
Calm
Friendly
Pleasant
Calming
Frightened
Proud
Charming
Funny
Quirky
Cheerful
Furious
Relieved
Combative
Gentle
Repulsive
Comfortable
Glib
Rundown
Defeated
Glorious
Sad
Confused
Good
Scary
Cooperative
Grateful
Selfish
Courageous
Grieving
Silly
Cowardly
Gusty
Splendid
Crabby
Gutless
Successful
Creepy
Happy
Tedious
Cross
Healthy
Tense
Cruel
Heinous
Terrible
Dangerous
Helpless
Thankful
Defeated
Hilarious
Thoughtful
Defiant
Hungry
Thoughtless
Delightful
Hurt
Tired
Depressed
Hysterical
Troubled
Determined
Immoral
Upset
Disgusted
Impassioned
Weak
Disturbed
Indignant
Weary
Eager
Irate
Wicked
Elated
Itchy
Worried
Embarrassed
Jealous
Zany
Enchanting
Jolly
Zealous
To Describe a Person or Personality
Aggressive
Famous
Restless
Agoraphobic
Fearless
Rich
Ambidextrous
Fertile
Righteous
Ambitious
Fragile
Ritzy
Amoral
Frank
Romantic
Angelic
Functional
Rustic
Brainy
Gabby
Ruthless
Breathless
Generous
Sassy
Busy
Gifted
Secretive
Calm
Helpful
Sedate
Capable
Hesitant
Shy
Careless
Innocent
Sleepy
Cautious
Inquisitive
Somber
Cheerful
Insane
Stingy
Clever
Jaunty
Stupid
Common
Juicy
Super
Complete
Macho
Swanky
Concerned
Manly
Tame
Crazy
Modern
Tawdry
Curious
Mushy
Terrific
Dead
Naughty
Testy
Deep
Odd
Uninterested
Delightful
Old
Vague
Determined
Open
Verdant
Different
Outstanding
Vivacious
Diligent
Perky
Wacky
Energetic
Poor
Wandering
Erratic
Powerful
Wild
Evil
Puzzled
Womanly
Exuberant
Real
Wrong
To Describe Appearance
Ablaze
Distinct
Quirky
Adorable
Drab
Ruddy
Alluring
Dull
Shiny
Attractive
Elegant
Skinny
Average
Embarrassed
Sloppy
Awkward
Fancy
Smiling
Balanced
Fat
Sparkling
Beautiful
Filthy
Spotless
Blonde
Glamorous
Strange
Bloody
Gleaming
Tacky
Blushing
Glossy
Tall
Bright
Graceful
Thin
Clean
Grotesque
Ugly
Clear
Handsome
Unattractive
Cloudy
Homely
Unbecoming
Clumsy
Interior
Uncovered
Colorful
Lovely
Unsightly
Confident
Magnificent
Unusual
Cracked
Murky
Watery
Crooked
Old-fashioned
Weird
Crushed
Plain
Wild
Curly
Poised
Wiry
Cute
Pretty
Wooden
Debonair
Puffy
Worried
Dirty
Quaint
Zaftig
To Describe Situations
Accidental
Doubtful
Main
Achievable
Elementarty
Minor
Advantageous
Finger-printed
Nasty
Alcoholic
Groundless
Nutritious
Animated
Hard
Obsolete
Aquatic
Harmful
Optimal
Aromatic
High
Organic
Aspiring
Honest
Premium
Bad
Horrible
Quizzical
Bawdy
Illegal
Rainy
Biographical
Illegible
Redundant
Bizarre
Imperfect
Remarkable
Broken
Impossible
Simple
Careful
Internal
Tangible
Credible
Inventive
Tricky
Creepy
Jazzy
Wholesale
Cumbersome
Juvenile
Worse
Disastrous
Legal
Wry
Dismissive
Logical
X-rated
Using Adjectives in Writing
While it’s important to understand how adjectives add to the descriptions of the nouns and pronouns, it’s also wise to understand how to effectively use these parts of speech in your own writing.
Adjectives are best used sparingly. Generally, nouns and verbs should do the bulk of the descriptive work in your prose. Don’t simply tell your reader that something is beautiful, exciting, or interesting. Use your words to show why these descriptive labels are appropriate.
Want more adjectives? Visit this word list of adjective flashcards. Or review these additional articles on adjectives: