Adjectives that start with A through Z and ideas for how to use them (2024)

Many words in the English language serve the purpose of modifying nouns. Each one provides new information about an accompanying person, place, or thing. Adjectives with a certain sound or cadence can augment your writing. Here are different lists of describing words; some adjectives with a definition and example are included. For a comprehensive list of adjectives with a certain tone, see this explanative link.

Adjectives That Start With A

There are many different adjectives that start with A. And of those, there are many adjectives that start with A to describe a person. If you include the comparative and superlative versions of adjectives that start with A, you can come up with an even larger list. Here are some common and uncommon modifying words with definitions and examples, including a separate list of adjectives that start with A to describe a person:

Adjectives that start with A:

• Abloom
• Abiding
• Achy
• Adequate
• Aesthetical
• Affordable
• Ageless
• Austere

Abiding means to endure or last a long time, especially when it comes to feelings and memories.

• They’ve had an abiding love for each other since childhood.

Adjectives that start with A to describe a person:

• Authentic
• Attentive
• Articulate
• Angelic
• Adolescent
• Awless

Awless means not showing or displaying awe.

• David’s face was awless after watching my magic trick.

Adjectives That Start With B

You have bundles of adjectives that start with B. We’ve provided a definition and examples as well.

Adjectives that start with B:

• Bankrupt
• Bedfast
• Bromidic
• Bitty
• Burly
• Busy

Bromidic means dull or lacking in originality.

• My cousin Tim tells such bromidic jokes at family gatherings.

There are bountiful adjectives that start with B. Don’t settle on just this sample.

Adjectives That Start With C

Additionally, here is a list of adjectives that start with C. Along with these examples, there are many more to choose from.

• Calm
• Charming
• Clean
• Cogent
• Crazy
• Cute

Cogent means something that is clear, compelling, or makes sense.

• The lawyer’s argument was cogent and done well.

Adjectives That Start With D

There are dozens of adjectives starting with D. Here is a list of adjectives starting with D, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with D:

• Damaged
• Dapper
• Dutiful
• Dramatic
• Dandified

These words are just a few examples of adjectives starting with D. Don’t settle on just these five adjectives starting with D!

Dandified means to act in an elegant and sophisticated manner.

• Steve’s dandified personality matches that of his closest friends.

The options for adjectives starting with D sure are dense. Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with D!

Adjectives That Start With E

There are so many options for adjectives that start with E. It’s easy to brainstorm a list of adjectives starting with E. Below are some adjectives that start with E, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with E:

• Easy-going
• Enraged
• Equable
• Evanescent
• Exemplary
• Efficacious

This is by no means an exhaustive list of adjectives starting with E.

Efficacious means to accomplish the intended result or effect.

• That efficacious basketball player never misses a shot!

Do you know what each of these adjectives starting with E means? Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with E!

Adjectives That Start With F

The English language is flush with adjectives that start with F!

Adjectives that start with F:

• Fabulous
• Fidgety
• Florid
• Forgiving
• Fussy
• Frugal

Florid means to be excessively intricate or complicated.

• Have you ever seen a more florid prom tuxedo?

Do you already know all these words? Take a break from building your vocabulary by learning about MLA format and more styles of citation.

Adjectives That Start With G

The options for adjectives that start with G is generous and great!

Adjectives that start with G:

• Gainful
• Ghostly
• Glad
• Gabby
• Goofy
• Growing

Being gabby means to be annoyingly or excessively talkative.

• Gordon can’t stand gabby waiters.

Adjectives That Start With H

You’ll happen to find quite a few adjectives that start with H. Be sure to check any definitions for the list below if you aren’t sure of its meaning.

Adjectives that start with H:

• Hairless
• Headstrong
• Hilarious
• Hortative
• Hungry
• Humane
• Humorless

Hortative means to give strong encouragement.

• Your mother’s hortative speeches to the class are always welcome.

Adjectives That Start With I

You can find an inexhaustible list of adjectives that start with I, along with a definition and example.

Adjectives that start with I:

• Iconical
• Idle
• Improbable
• Inclined
• Introverted
• Intended
• Impervious

Iconical means to mock or be humorously sarcastic.

• After Taylor took my queen in chess, she gave me an iconical smirk.

Adjectives That Start With J

There are plenty of adjectives starting with J. Here is a list of adjectives starting with J, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with J:

• Jarring
• Jeering
• Jinxed
• Joyous
• Judicious
• Jovial
• Jesting

These adjectives starting with J are just a sample. If one of these doesn’t fit, the explanative link has even more choices for adjectives that start with J.

Judicious means practicing common sense or good judgment in everyday matters.

• Jerry has judicious money-saving habits.

Be judicious, and don’t just settle on these seven adjectives starting with J! Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with J!

Adjectives That Start With K

You’ll find all kinds of adjectives that start with K. We’ve provided a definition and examples as well.

Adjectives that start with K:

• Knockout
• Kindly
• Keen
• Keyless
• Kaput
• Kind
• Knowledgeable
• Kingly

Kingly means to resemble, relate to, or be fit for a king.

• I can see through his kingly facade.

If there are other adjectives that start with K on the list that you don’t know, make sure to check the definition and add it to your vocabulary!

Adjectives That Start With L

There are loads of adjectives that start with L. Here is a list of adjectives starting with L, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with L:

• Lanky
• Lesser
• Licit
• Loud
• Lucky
• Lyrical
• Laudatory
• Ladylike
• Leaden

These adjectives starting with L are a limited set. If one of these adjectives that start with L doesn’t fit, there’s a long list of options using the explanative link at the beginning.

Laudatory means full of praise or giving praise.

• Your teacher had nothing but laudatory comments regarding your schoolwork.

Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives starting with L.

Adjectives That Start With M

There are many adjectives starting with M. Here is a list of adjectives starting with M, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with M:

• Maniacal
• Mean
• Milled
• Moderate
• Magical
• Mysterious
• Musing

Musing means to be absorbed in thought or meditation.

• His musing attitude made it difficult for us to hold a conversation.

These are just a few adjectives starting with M.

The list of adjectives starting with M isn’t meager. Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with M!

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Adjectives That Start With N

There are lots of adjectives starting with N. Here is a list of adjectives starting with N, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with N:

• Native
• Needless
• Nice
• Noble
• Nubby
• Nuptial
• Normative
• New
• Natty

Nubby describes the coarse or rough texture of the fabric.

• This nubby jacket couldn’t possibly be made from silk, could it?

These nifty words are just a few examples of adjectives starting with N. Don’t settle on just these nine adjectives starting with N!

The options for adjectives starting with N are numerous. Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with N!

Adjectives That Start With O

You’ll find some obvious and some obscure adjectives that start with O. But either way, choices for adjectives starting with O are opulent. You’ll also find a definition and example for one of the adjectives starting with O.

Adjectives that start with O:

• Obedient
• Obscure
• Occidental
• Odd
• Odorous
• Oily
• Ominous
• Opulent

Occidental means characteristic of Western society.

• I would never have expected such an occidental city outside of Europe!

If you’re unsure of other definitions for these adjectives starting with O, make sure to look them up!

Adjectives That Start With P

You have so many choices for adjectives starting with P. If you get playful and poetic, you can come up with an even larger list of adjectives that start with P. Here are some common and uncommon adjectives starting with P with definitions and examples.

Adjectives that start with P:

• Palatable
• Peaceful
• Phony
• Pierced
• Pleasing
• Poetic
• Popular
• Prankish

From the list of adjectives starting with P, prankish is defined as naughtily or annoyingly playful behavior.

• His prankish antics always give his peers a good laugh.

These eight words are only a few of the adjectives starting with P, as the options for adjectives starting with P are plentiful!

Adjectives That Start With Q

Surprisingly, there quite a few adjectives that start with Q:

Adjectives that start with Q:

• Quack
• Quality
• Quelled
• Quick
• Quirky
• Quondam
• Questioning
• Quaint

Quondam means formerly or at one time.

• Alex and Steve were quondam friends turned cold into rivals throughout high school and college.

These are some great Q words that describe nouns.

Adjectives That Start With R

There are many different adjectives that start with R. And of those, there are many adjectives that start with R to describe a person. Here are some common and uncommon adjectives starting with R, including a definition and example. There’s also a separate list of adjectives that start with R to describe a person:

Adjectives that start with R:

• Rackety
• Realistic
• Rhyming
• Rife
• Roast
• Rueful
• Rush
• Rustic

Rueful expresses regret or sorrow for offenses, in a slightly humorous way.

• She gave me a rueful smile right after pushing me in the pool.

This is only a sample of adjectives starting with R.

Adjectives that start with R to describe a person include:

• Radiant
• Red
• Rich
• Rude
• Ruthless
• Regular
• Roiled
• Riled

The list of adjectives starting with R is robust. Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with R!

Adjectives That Start With S

What are adjectives that start with S? We also have a definition and examples for adjectives starting with S.

Adjectives that start with S:

• Saintly
• Scared
• Secured
• Shaky
• Sickly
• Skewed
• Slow
• Smarmy

Smarmy means being polite or helpful in a way that seems insincere or annoying.

• His smarmy acceptance of my demands only aggravated me more.

These words are just a few examples of adjectives starting with S.

The list of adjectives starting with S is superb. Make sure to look up any other definitions.

Adjectives That Start With T

You’ll find tons of adjectives starting with T. Here is a list of adjectives that start with T, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with T:

• Tactical
• Tailored
• Tensed
• Thoughtful
• Tiresome
• Toadyish
• Tranquil
• Twiggy

Toadyish describes the act of using flattery to try and win favor.

• Larry doesn’t mean anything he just said. His attitude is toadyish because he wants a raise.

These words are just a few examples of adjectives starting with T, but get creative and think of more adjectives that start with T!

The options for adjectives starting with T are tremendous. Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with T!

Adjectives That Start With U

There are ubiquitous options for adjectives that start with U. Here is a list of adjectives that start with U, including a definition and example:

Adjectives that start with U:

• Ubiquitous
• Ugly
• Ultra
• Unadorned
• Uppish
• Urban
• Usual
• Useful

Uppish means to be conceited or arrogant.

• Stop being so uppish and pass the basketball, Fred!

Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives that start with U!

Adjectives That Start With V

It can seem difficult to brainstorm a list of adjectives that start with V, but you’ll discover quite a few below:

Adjectives that start with V:

• Vast
• Verbal
• Virtual
• Void
• Validating
• Vexing
• Venial
• Vicarious

Venial means a slight or pardonable fault or mistake.

• Jake’s cell phone ringing in class was a venial mistake.

Adjectives That Start With W

There are way more adjectives that start with W than you might think!

Adjectives that start with W:

• Wacky
• Weakened
• Whopping
• Wild
• Woozy
• Worldly
• Wrought
• Wizen

Wizen describes leanness and wrinkles from old age.

• The wizen grandparents enjoyed their honeymoon on the boardwalk.

Adjectives That Start With X

Adjectives that start with X can be a little touch, but we’ve got a sample below:

Adjectives that start with X:

• Xeric
• Xenogeneic
• Xenial
• Xerothermic

Xenogeneic denotes cells belonging to individuals of different species.

• This monkey glows because of its xenogeneic DNA, which was modified by scientists.

Adjectives That Start With Y

Adjectives starting with Y are a little trickier. It may be surprising, but there are many different adjectives that start with Y. And of those, there are many adjectives that start with Y to describe a person. Here are some common and uncommon adjectives starting with Y, including a definition and example. There’s also a separate list of adjectives that start with Y to describe a person:

Adjectives that start with Y:

• Yawning
• Yearlong
• Yelled
• Yielding
• Yonder

Yonder means distant but within sight.

• Do you see that bridge over yonder? Let’s check it out!

Adjectives that start with Y to describe a person include:

• Yeasty
• Yucky
• Young
• Youthful

Make sure to look up any other definitions you need from this list of adjectives starting with Y!

Adjectives That Start With Z

It may seem zany, but even at the end of the alphabet, you’ll find adjectives that start with Z:

Adjectives that start with Z:

• Zany
• Zealous
• Zestful
• Zonal
• Zippy
• Zymolytic

Zonal means divided into zones.

• My zonal garden has just about every plant food you can grow around these parts!

Now that you’ve seen a few adjectives with a list of examples from most letters of the alphabet, do you want to learn more words? Get more info here.

Published March 5, 2019. Updated May 22, 2020.