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Adjectives
To improve your vocabulary
Adjectives to describe
PEOPLE
1. Affectionate
/əˈfɛkʃ(ə)nət/
Meaning: To show you love/liking for someone or
something by being tactile.
Example: Italians are very affectionate. They
always greet someone with a hug or a kiss.
2. Boisterous
/ˈbɔɪst(ə)rəs/
Meaning: Being noisy, energetic and not
controlled.
Example: They kids are so boisterous. They keep
quarrelling all the time.
3. Conceited
/kənˈsiːtɪd/
Meaning: Being too proud of yourself or your
abilities and actions.
Example: Without sounding too conceited, I
would like to admit that I am a great teacher.
4. Competent
/ˈkɒmpɪt(ə)nt/
Meaning: Being able to do something well.
Example: She is a very competent lawyer. You
can trust her to get this done.
5. Clumsy
/ˈklʌmzi/
Meaning: A person who often has accidents
because they move around carelessly or
awkwardly.
Example: You broke another glass! You are so
clumsy!
6. Condescending
/kɒndɪˈsɛndɪŋ/
Meaning:Treating someone as if you are superior
to them or as if they are less important.
Example: She is so condescending! She keeps
lecturing me on how to do my job!
7. Courageous
/kəˈreɪdʒəs/
Meaning: Being brave/ showing courage.
Example:It was very courageous of her to pursue
her human rights campaign.
8. Conscientious
/ˌkɒnʃɪˈɛnʃəs/
Meaning: Putting a lot of effort into your work/
doing something thoroughly.
Example: He is a very conscientious student. His
work is always done well.
9. Cynical
/ˈsɪnɪk(ə)l/
Meaning: To believe that someone is only
interested in themselves and is not sincere.
Example: I’m rather cynical. I don’t think he is
trying to help us at all.
10. Cranky
/ˈkraŋki/
Meaning: To become easily annoyed or upset.
Example: I’m always cranky in the morning
before my coffee.
11. Cantankerous
/kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəs/
Meaning: Being bad-tempered, argumentative
and grumpy (usually used to describe old people).
Example: My grandma is quite cantankerous
when she is ill.
12. Callous
/ˈkaləs/
Meaning: Being unkind without any sympathy or
feeling towards others.
Example: She cried when she heard the others’
callous comments about her appearance.
13. Crafty
/ˈkrɑːfti/
Meaning: Clever at achieving one's aims by
indirect or deceitful methods.
Example: The crafty thief faked an injury to
escape from the prison.
Idiom: CRAFTY AS A FOX
14. Conniving
/kəˈnʌɪvɪŋ/
Meaning: Someone who deceives others for their
own advantage (used in more serious cases like
illegal/immoral activities).
Example:The conniving killer entered his victim’s
home by pretending to be a police officer.
15. Decisive
/dɪˈsʌɪsɪv/
Meaning: Being able to make good decisions
quickly and confidently.
Example:You should be a decisive leader and tell
them what you think needs to be done.
16. Devoted
/dɪˈvəʊtɪd/
Meaning:Being very committed/ loyal to someone
or something.
Example:He is very devoted to his family. He
always makes time for them.
17. Diligent
/ˈdɪlɪdʒ(ə)nt/
Meaning: Very hardworking and constant in your
efforts.
Example: She is so diligent. She stays up till
midnight everyday to prepare for her exams.
18. Dowdy
/ˈdaʊdi/
Meaning: Unfashionable / wearing clothes that do
not suit you.
Example: She is a bit dowdy. She could do with a
wardrobe makeover.
19. Dutiful
/ˈdjuːtɪfʊl,ˈdjuːtɪf(ə)l/
Meaning: Doing what needs to be done/ doing
their duty without fail.
Example: Sam is quite a dutiful son. He honours
the wishes of his parents and is loyal to his
family.
20. Demonstrative
/dɪˈmɒnstrətɪv/
Meaning: Showing how you feel with actions.
Example: He is a demonstrative person. He
always plans grand gestures to show his affection.
21. Earnest
/ˈəːnɪst/
Meaning: Serious and determined/ intense
conviction.
Example: He is a very earnest worker.
22. Evasive
/ɪˈveɪsɪv/
Meaning: Answering questions in a way that is not
direct or clear, especially when you do not want
to reveal information.
Example: Politicians are very evasive. You can
never get them to give a straight answer.
23. Egotistical
/ˌɛɡəˈtɪstɪk(ə)l,ˌiːɡəˈtɪstɪk(ə)l/
Meaning: To put yourself above others/ to think
you are more important than others / being self-
centred.
Example: He thinks everybody should listen to
him without a question. He really is very
egotistical.
24. Fastidious
/faˈstɪdɪəs/
Meaning: Paying too much attention to every
detail/ wanting everything to be too perfect.
Example: Mother is very fastidious when it comes
to cleaning the house.
25. Fervent
/ˈfəːv(ə)nt/
Meaning: A person who is very sincere and strong
in their beliefs.
Example: He is a fervent supporter the
revolution.
26. Fussy
/ˈfʌsi/
Meaning: Not easily satisfied / having very high
standards.
Example: She is always fussy about how she
dresses.
27. Gluttonous
/ˈɡlʌt(ə)nəs/
Meaning: To eat or drink more than you need.
Example: Everyone is so gluttonous during
Christmas time.
28. Grouchy
/ˈɡraʊtʃi/
Meaning: To complain a lot/ being easily annoyed.
Example: Are you being so grouchy just because
of the weather?
29. Gregarious
/ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəs/
Meaning: To enjoy being sociable/ enjoy being
around other people.
Example: Sara is so gregarious. She never misses
a chance to go to a party!
30. Hypocritical
/ˌhɪpəˈkrɪtɪkl/
Meaning: To pretend believing something that you
don’t actually believe/ pretending to follow a
practice when you don’t actually follow it.
Example: The politician accused him of lying.
What a hypocritical man! He himself spews lies all
the time!
31. Incompetent
/ɪnˈkɒmpɪt(ə)nt/
Meaning: Not having the necessary skills to do
something successfully.
Example: Our new boss keeps making a lot of
blunders. He seems quite incompetent for the
job!
32. Impetuous
/ɪmˈpɛtjʊəs/
Meaning: Acting impulsively without considering
the consequences of your action.
Example: In the past times, impetuous young men
would drop their education and run off to the
army!
33. Jovial
/ˈdʒəʊvɪəl/
Meaning: Being in a good mood/ friendly and
enjoyable.
Example: She is pleasant to be around and is
quite jovial too.
34. Juvenile
/ˈdʒuːvənʌɪl/
Meaning: Being an adult but acting
childish/immature.
Example: She was being so juvenile, behaving like
that and wanting everything her own way.
35. Loquacious
/ləˈkweɪʃəs/
Meaning: Being talkative or chatty.
Example: Sara gets fed up when Leila get a bit
too loquacious at times.
36. Melancholic
/mɛlənˈkɒlɪk/
Meaning: Expressing feeling of sadness.
Example: I feel very melancholic every time I
return from my native place after a holiday.
37. Naive
/nʌɪˈiːv,nɑːˈiːv/
Meaning: Too willing to believe others/ innocent
due to lack of experience.
Example: Most people make the naive assumption
that a product must be good if its popular.
38. Petulant
/ˈpɛtjʊl(ə)nt/
Meaning: Bad-tempered and complaining like a
child (acting immaturely).
Example: Because she whined about everything
on the movie set, the director described the
actress to be petulant.
39. Tenacious
/tɪˈneɪʃəs/
Meaning: Keeping an opinion in a determined
way/not readily letting go of a position, principle,
or course of action.
Example: There has been tenacious local
opposition to the new airport.
40. Zealous
/ˈzɛləs/
Meaning: Strongly believing in something /
enthusiastic and eager.
Example: He is a zealous supporter of the
government policies.
Adjectives to describe
PLACES & THINGS
41. Cosmopolitan
/ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪt(ə)n/
Meaning: Containing or having experience of people
and things from many different parts of the world.
Example: New York is a very cosmopolitan city. It
has people from various parts of the world living in
it.
42. Lively
/ˈlʌɪvli/
Meaning: Full of life and energy.
Example: The party was very lively. Everyone was
dancing.
43. Bustling
/ˈbʌslɪŋ/
Meaning: A place full of activity / a busy place.
Example: The markets are always bustling during
summer. You can find anything there!
44. Hectic
/ˈhɛktɪk/
Meaning: Characterized by intense agitation,
excitement, chaotic and rapid movement (very
busy).
Example: Life can be quite hectic in cities.
45. Dreadful
/ˈdrɛdfʊl,ˈdrɛdf(ə)l/
Meaning: Causing or involving great suffering,
fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious.
Example: We came by an accident on the highway
yesterday. It was dreadful to witness.
46. Tatty
/ˈtati/
Meaning: Old/ worn out and shabby/ in a poor
condition.
Example: The town needs some updating. It is
rather tatty.
47. Worn
/wɔːn/
Meaning: Damaged as a result of overuse.
Example: The park was rather worn. The children
need a safer place to play.
48. Dated
ˈdeɪtɪd/
Meaning: Old-fashioned / outmoded.
Example:
The house was dated.
The band’s music sounds dated.
49. Shabby
/ˈʃabi/
Meaning: In a poor condition due to long term use.
Example: The rooms were shabby and in
desperate need of cleaning.
50. Quaint
/kweɪnt/
Meaning: Attractively unusual or old-fashioned.
Example: The cottages on the hills were quaint
and added to the inviting ambience of the place.
51. State-of-the-art
/ˌsteɪt əv ðɪ ˈɑːt/
Meaning: The most recent stage in the
development of a product, incorporating the
newest ideas and features.
Example: Our scientists are the most proficient in
the world and work in state-of-the-art facilities.
52. Medieval
/ˌmɛdɪˈiːv(ə)l,ˌmɛdˈiːv(ə)l/
Meaning: Relating to the medieval period or the
Middle Ages (= the period in history from about AD
600 to AD 1500)
Example: We visited a medieval castle during our
tour.
53. Touristy
/ˈtʊərɪsti/
Meaning: Place that is appealing to and is often
visited by tourists (used to suggest lack of
authenticity)
Example: This used to be a pretty little fishing
town, but now it's become very touristy.
54. Dodgy
/ˈdɒdʒi/
Meaning: Something that is untrustworthy or
unreliable or unsafe (British slang)
Example: They got involved in a dodgy business
and lost all their savings.
56. Classy
/ˈklɑːsi/
Meaning: Stylish and sophisticated (generally
associated with sophistication, can be used for
people, places and things)
Example: The hotel is classy but relaxed.
56. Affluent
/ˈaflʊənt/
Meaning: Associated with a lot of wealth and
great deal of money.
Example: Celebrities live in affluent
neighbourhoods.
57. Ghastly
/ˈɡɑːs(t)li/
Meaning: Causing great horror or fear.
Example: It was one of the most ghastly crimes to
ever be committed.
58. Divine
/dɪˈvʌɪn/
Meaning: Excellent or delightful or very pleasing.
Example: Your cooking is simply divine!
59. Exquisite
/ˈɛkskwɪzɪt,ɪkˈskwɪzɪt/
Meaning: Extremely beautiful and delicate.
Example: We finally found the perfect wedding
dress. It is exquisite!
60. Hip
/hɪp/
Meaning: Being aware of or involved in the newest
styles / often changing according to new style.
Example: There is a new hip club in town where
all the youngsters can be found.
61. Trendy
/ˈtrɛndi/
Meaning: Very fashionable or up to date. (can
describe people, personalities and things)
Example: Bangalore is a very trendy city.
62. Funky
/ˈfʌŋki/
Meaning: Modern and stylish in an unconventional
or striking way.
Example:
She likes to wear funky clothes.
There is new funky club. You will love it!
63. Homely
/ˈhəʊmli/
Meaning: Simple but cosy and comfortable, as in
one's own home.
Example: The hotel was modern but homely.
64. ‘in need of a bit of TLC’
(an expression)
Meaning:Something that needs attention (repairs
and tending). TLC stands for ‘tender loving care’.
Example: The building is beautiful but it just
needs a bit of TLC.
65. Grubby
/ˈɡrʌbi/
Meaning: Covered with dirt; grimy.
Example: The kitchen is really grubby. Its been a
while since anyone used it.
66. Vast
/vɑːst/
Meaning: Very huge place (wide area).
Example: The landscape was vast. It was such a
breath-taking sight.
67. Expansive
/ɪkˈspansɪv,ɛkˈspansɪv/
Meaning: Covering a wide area in terms of space,
range or scope.
Example: The shopping mall was expansive.
68. Idyllic
/ɪˈdɪlɪk/
Meaning: Extremely happy or peaceful or
picturesque.
Example: We managed to find an attractive hotel
in an idyllic setting.
69. Picturesque
/ˌpɪktʃəˈrɛsk/
Meaning: Visually attractive, especially in a quaint
or charming way.
Example: The streets of Rome are picturesque.
70. Vibrant
/ˈvʌɪbr(ə)nt/
Meaning: Full of life and energy.
Example: It was a vibrant island, full of wildlife
and animals.
71. Cumbersome
/ˈkʌmbəs(ə)m/
Meaning: Large or heavy and therefore difficult to
carry or use; unwieldable.
Example: The wedding dress was artfully
designed with lots of stones but was quite
cumbersome.
72. Bulky
/ˈbʌlki/
Meaning: Large and taking up much space.
Example: She carried a very bulky package on the
bus. She must have been uncomfortable.
73. Ragged
/ˈraɡɪd/
Meaning: Old and torn.
Example: I came across a rough-looking man
wearing ragged clothes.
74. Iridescent
/ˌɪrɪˈdɛs(ə)nt/
Meaning: Showing luminous colours that seem to
change when seen from different angles.
Example: The sapphire has an iridescent emerald
sheen.
75. Sparkly
/ˈspɑːk(ə)li/
Meaning: Shining with glittering flashes of light.
Example: I bought a sparkly silver dress for the
party.
76. Compact
/kəmˈpakt/
Meaning: Closely and neatly packed together;
dense.
Example: The town is simple a compact cluster of
houses.
77. Lambent
/ˈlamb(ə)nt/
Meaning: Glowing, gleaming, or flickering with a
soft radiance. (literary)
Example: Leila sat stargazing under the lambent
light of the crescent moon.
78. Luminous
/ˈluːmɪnəs/
Meaning: Giving off light; bright or shining,
especially in the dark.
Example: The library was lit by the luminous
glow of laptops.
79. Smooth
/smuːð/
Meaning: An even surface without bumps that is
pleasant to touch.
Example: The baby’s skin was soft and smooth.
80. Jagged
/ˈdʒaɡɪd/
Meaning: With rough, sharp points protruding
Example: The road was jagged with sharp rocks.
81. Ornate
/ɔːˈneɪt/
Meaning: Heavily or elaborately decorated with
intricate designs.
Example: The ornate necklace is expensive but
the price is justified.
82. Brittle
/ˈbrɪt(ə)l/
Meaning: Hard but liable to break easily.
Example: The leaves clinging to the trees in
autumn are brittle.
83. Elaborate
/ɪˈlab(ə)rət/
Meaning: Involving many carefully arranged parts
or details; detailed and complicated in design and
planning.
Example: The gala had an elaborate security plan
with multiple precautions.
84. Ubiquitous
/juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/
Meaning: Found or existing everywhere.
Example: Mobile phones have become ubiquitous
around the world.
85. Metallic
/məˈtæl.ɪk/
Meaning: To be metal like in taste, sound or
appearance.
Example: Her metallic eyeshadow looked really
funky.
86. Synthetic
/sɪnˈθɛtɪk/
Meaning: Made by chemical synthesis, especially
to imitate a natural product.
Example: Most of the cheap clothes are made
from synthetic materials.
87. Luxurious
/lʌɡˈʒʊərɪəs,lʌɡˈzjʊərɪəs,lʌkˈsjʊərɪəs/
Meaning: Extremely comfortable or elegant,
especially when involving great expense.
Example: The island has one of the most
luxurious hotels in the world.
88. Retro
/ˈrɛtrəʊ/
Meaning: Imitative of a style or fashion from the
recent past.
Example: There is such a mania for retro
furniture now that there are shops that specialize
in different eras.
Adjectives to describe
FOODS
89. Crunchy
/ˈkrʌntʃi/
Meaning: Foods that are firm and often make a
loud noise when eaten.
Example: Chips are very crunchy.
90. Tender
/ˈtɛndə/
Meaning: Foods that are soft and are easy to chew
or cut.
Example: The beef was lovely and tender.
91. Hearty
/ˈhɑːti/
Meaning: Whole and substantial.
Example: We had a hearty meal of meat and
potatoes.
92. Creamy
/ˈkriːmi/
Meaning: Foods that are cream-like or contain
cream.
Example: The salad comes with a rich creamy
dressing.
93. Indulgent
/ɪnˈdʌldʒ(ə)nt/
Meaning: Done or enjoyed as a special treat or
pleasure.
Example: An indulgent chocolate dessert would
be a great idea to end a meal with!
94. Chewy
/ˈtʃuːi/
Meaning: Needing to be chewed hard or for some
time before being swallowed.
Example: The meat was chewy. You must have
overcooked it.
95. Bountiful
/ˈbaʊntɪfʊl,ˈbaʊntɪf(ə)l/
Meaning: Large in quantity or abundant.
Example: The harvest provided a bountiful supply
of fresh food.
96. Zesty
/ˈ[Link]/
Meaning: Citrusy flavour with a bit of spice.
Example: The lemon was a zesty addition to the
delicious salad.
97. Rubbery
/ˈrʌb(ə)ri/
Meaning: Having a tough elastic texture like that
of a rubber.
Example: The spaghetti was not cooked properly.
It was rubbery.
98. Moist
/mɔɪst/
Meaning: Moisture-containing / slightly wet.
Example: The cheese cake was bouncy and moist.
99. Stale
/steɪl/
Meaning: Food that is no longer fresh and is dry or
hard to eat.
Example: The bread has become stale and
mouldy.
100. Flaky
/ˈfleɪ.ki/
Meaning: Breaking or easily separating into flakes.
Example: The wafers were flaky.
The End.
