10 descriptive words


List of Descriptive Words: Adjectives, Adverbs, & Participles

Which is more intriguing — a dark, spooky night or a pitch-black, starless, ominous night? Would you rather eat a delicious cake or a mouthwatering, sugar-sweet chocolate cake? Using descriptive words makes readers feel like they’re in your scene instead of just reading it. When you’ve got the proper list of descriptive words, you can easily turn handsome into chiseled or pretty into dazzling.

lists of descriptive adjectives, adverbs, and participles

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Adjectives as Descriptive Words

Adjectives are descriptive words that modify nouns. They’re what you need to tell the difference between an acrobatic cat, a delirious cat, and a precious cat (or maybe a cat that’s all three).  

acrobatic

adorable

adventurous

bitter

boundless

bright

brilliant

brittle

delirious

diminutive

exultant

filthy

foolhardy

gregarious

intrepid

jocular

joyful

jubilant

keen

kooky

lanky

lazy

limp

lush

luxurious

macabre

magnanimous

mellow

miserable

nimble

nocturnal

opulent

ornate

ordinary

palatial

parsimonious

peevish

picturesque

potent

practical

precious

putrid

questionable

quirky

radiant

raspy

rustic

scornful

scrumptious

silky

sly

spider-like

spectacular

tentacular

tense

thorny

verdant

whimsical

woeful

zesty

Adverbs as Descriptive Words

Use an adverb to describe an action rather than a noun, or if you want to add even more detail to an adjective. Most adverbs end in -ly (though not all of them), and they’re helpful ways to strengthen your writing.

amusingly

angrily

apathetically

assertively

begrudgingly

blissfully

blithely

boldly

boisterously

chillingly

coyly

darkly

dazzlingly

deafeningly

dutifully

eagerly

facetiously

faintly

falteringly

frivolously

greedily

grimly

gloweringly

guiltily

hastily

hungrily

intelligently

kindly

lavishly

lazily

listlessly

masterfully

meagerly

methodically

naively

narrowly

neglectfully

nerve-wrackingly

numbly

offensively

passionately

pleasantly

pointlessly

quickly

rapidly

rashly

secretly

seriously

swiftly

tactfully

teasingly

tenderly

timorously

tragically

underhandedly

vacantly

vividly

weirdly

youthfully

zealously

Participles as Descriptive Words

You can even use verbs as describing words — although they’re called participles in that context. Past participles end in -ed or -en, present participles end in -ing, and they all look like descriptive words that you probably use all the time.

acclaimed

accomplished

amazing

amused

baby-faced

battered

beaten

bleeding

boring

broken

blushing

bow-legged

captivating

cluttered

confusing

chosen

complicated

condemned

crystallized

customized

dazzling

depressed

disgusting

distressing

disturbing

dreaming

driven

dyed

embarrassing

exciting

far-reaching

fascinated

freckled

frustrating

hard-hearted

humiliating

interesting

irritating

lying

melted

mouthwatering

peaked

puzzling

relaxing

riveting

satisfied

scared

scented

shocking

sickening

side-splitting

staggering

sweeping

tattered

threatening

thrilled

tired

towering

weathered

wrinkled

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Using Descriptive Words in Your Writing

Descriptive words help paint a picture in the reader's mind. The sentence "It was windy," might give the reader information, but it's not very descriptive. Consider how much imagery you can add with the words gusty, torrential, breezy, or windswept in front of your nouns.

Using descriptive words can:

  • bring characters to life in a novel or short story
  • sell an item in a product advertisement
  • convince an audience in a persuasive writing piece
  • explain the setting of a news story
  • provide instructions for a DIY project

Using illustrative descriptors makes your writing impossible to put down. Whether you're using descriptive words in poetry or informational writing, there are always opportunities to make sentences more vivid.

Describing Our World With Words

When it comes to using descriptive words, variety is key. Go beyond the list of adjectives, adverbs, and participles above to help you set the scene with just the right imagery.

  • Appeal to your readers' senses with a list of strong sensory words.
  • Use descriptive words for scents to describe pleasant (or unpleasant) smells.
  • Describe an aquatic scene with water words for descriptive writing.
  • Learn to describe a person’s (or character’s) physical appearance.
  • Choose the right descriptive words to describe someone’s personality.
  • Paint a delicious picture with descriptive language for food.

Staff Writer

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Descriptive Words for Scents: List of Smell Adjectives

Isn't it amazing how words can take shape and materialize into depictions of real-world encounters, including scents? The more descriptive the word, the greater the chance that the imagination will recreate the scent. That's why it's vital for writers to have a few descriptive words for scents ready to go. You never know when you'll want to share the memory of a fine day, right down to the jasmine wafting through the air. Use these smell adjectives to enhance the sensory appeal of your writing.

scent word floral girl smelling flowers

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Describing a Scent

Some descriptive words for scents refer to what made the smell or explain what it smells like. Review words and meanings here or download a printable list of scent words.

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Outdoorsy or Natural Adjectives for Smell

The great outdoors is filled with fragrances that most people can relate to, so nature words are often used to describe or explain scent.

  • airy - natural smelling, like clean, fresh air
  • clean - very light scent, clean and natural
  • crisp - fresh and natural
  • earthy - recently dug or tilled soil
  • fresh - natural smelling, rather than artificial
  • loamy - fragrance with an earthy note
  • feminine - floral fragrances
  • floral - scents associated with flowers
  • flowery - fragrance similar to flowers
  • masculine - earthy fragrances
  • pine - crisp, refreshing evergreen smell
  • lilac - rich floral scent combining rose with vanilla
  • moist - smell of dew or rainfall
  • rose - spicy yet sweet fragrance
  • smoky - scent of burning wood
  • woodsy - forest-like smell

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Food-Related Words to Describe Smell

There can be a close association between the senses of taste and smell, so it makes sense that fragrances are often described in terms of foods.

  • citrusy - crisp notes of any citrus fruit
  • fishy - smelling of fish; pungent, strong, unpleasant
  • lemony - tart, piquant citrus notes
  • lime - refreshing and zesty citrus smell
  • minty - menthol-like smell, think mint tea or peppermint candy
  • savory - spicy, salty scent that has no elements of sweetness
  • spicy - sharp, heady, can sting or tickle the nose
  • sour - rancid, sickly sweet smell
  • sweet - sugary smell
  • tart - sharp fragrance

Adjectives to Describe the Depth of Scent

Some scents are very light while others are extremely strong with a lot of variation in between.

  • billowy - scent that surges and wanes
  • biting - pungent, sharp or harsh fragrance
  • faint - very light or mild fragrance; can barely be detected
  • heady - very strong aroma
  • misty - mild fragrance, not overpowering
  • overpowering - too strong of a smell
  • pungent - strong fragrance
  • redolent - having a strong, permeating odor
  • rich - a strong, resounding smell that is appealing to the senses
  • sharp - pungent fragrance that permeates the air
  • wispy - hint of fragrance in the air
  • perfumed - artificial fragrance, not natural-smelling

Descriptive Terms for Unpleasant Scents

Simply saying that something smells bad isn’t very descriptive. Use appropriate adjectives to convey what an unpleasant odor smells like.

  • acid - sour, burnt odor; vinegary smell
  • acrid - strong, biting smell, such as something that’s on fire
  • dirty - nasty, unpleasant odor; unwashed and in need of washing
  • doggy - odor like an unbathed or wet canine
  • fetid - decaying or rotting smell
  • mildewed - soaked in wetness that has gone stale
  • moldy - damp, fungus-like odor
  • musty - old smell; stale and probably moldy
  • nauseating - odor that makes one sick to one’s stomach
  • plastic - artificial chemical polymer odor
  • putrid - stench of decay
  • rancid - spoiled; food that has gone bad
  • repulsive - off-putting odor
  • rotten - spoiled, rancid, unpalatable
  • skunky - noxious smell that lingers; sulfuric (like rotten eggs) odor
  • stale - old, dusty, stagnant odor
  • spoiled - rotten; something that has “gone bad”
  • stinking - unpleasant, foul smell
  • sweaty - perspiration odor

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Scent Synonyms

The word scent can refer to a lovely perfume or a strong odor. There are many synonyms you can use instead to avoid repetition. While each of these words can be used to mean the same thing as scent in certain contexts, the associated connotation can be quite different. You might talk about how much you love the aroma of freshly baked bread, but it wouldn't make much sense to talk about the pheromone of freshly baked bread.

  • aroma - strong, yet pleasant scent
  • aura - smell surrounding something
  • balm - soothing scent
  • bouquet - blend of floral scents
  • essence - basic, natural scent
  • fragrance - pleasant smell
  • incense - strong scent
  • odorize - changing the scent
  • perfume - added scent
  • pheromone - natural scents
  • smell - odor, smell, scent
  • trace - a tiny amount of fragrance
  • whiff - a fleeting scent

If you're looking for antonyms of the word "scent" instead, you could use such words as stench, stink or reek. These have much more of a negative connotation to them, like how you might talk about the stench of a dumpster in a back alley.

Descriptive Words Set the Mood

It is said that a person’s sense of smell may be the strongest link to memories, even more than sight or hearing. Indeed, scents can bring back the past or can set the mood for new experiences. Take a second to stop and smell the flowers with fun sunflower facts.

With a few poetic lines, a reader can visualize precisely how an author was feeling, down to the very smell in the room. It’s only natural to incorporate adjectives for smell into writing and dialogue. As you continue to create interesting scenes within your writing, utilize this list of descriptive words to help engage readers in your stories. Get ready to bring entire universes to life with your words.

Staff Writer

Adjectives characterizing a person - list

Rubric: For every day

Here are collected words (adjectives) that characterize a person (both a man and a woman). Words are arranged in a list, for convenience, divided by letters of the alphabet. This list can be useful to you for compiling a resume, characterization, compiling announcements (for hiring or searching for a person) and simply for describing people (if necessary).

Please note: Not all adjectives that can describe a person are collected here, but only those that can characterize people (that is, there are no such words as “beautiful”, “tall”, “small”, “barrel-shaped”, "shaved", etc. They refer to the description of appearance and are not related to the description of personality, character, behavior).

A

  • Adventurized
  • Authority
  • Aggressive
  • adequate
  • Azartic
  • Neat
  • ALCH
  • Elogical logic)
  • Altruistic (altruistic)
  • Alcohol addict
  • Immoral
  • Ambitious
  • Amorphous
  • Anecdotal
  • Apathetic
  • 0011 Apathetic
  • Apolitical
  • Ascetic
  • Assertive rights, not to depend on external assessments, influences and do it without violating the rights others)
  • Asocial
  • Autical
  • Artistic
  • aristocratic

B

  • Palled
  • Vigilant
  • Black
  • Perepsychia
  • Dilanthin0012
  • Windle
  • Nonsense
  • Explosive
  • Scruffy
  • Guilty
  • Fitty
  • ACTIVITIVE
  • Available
  • exalted
  • exalted
  • exalted attitude towards something or someone)
  • Strong-willed
  • Free
  • Free-thinking
  • Freedom-loving
  • Thievish
  • Grouchy
  • Receptive
  • Enthusiastic
  • Impressive
  • Hostile (hostile, hostile-cold)
  • Harmful
  • Omnivorous (here - promiscuous, not the one who eats everything)
  • Fixing
  • vulgar
  • Office
  • Outstanding
  • Highly moral
  • Highly exaggerated
  • highly developed
  • High -EVEIDEN0012
  • Great
  • Trusty
  • Hasty
  • Lolder -out
  • Dominative
  • House
  • Decent
  • Bulbed
  • NEDDICAL (here, DEMODICAL
  • DRIMEN ignorant)
  • Friendly
  • Dirty
  • Bad
  • Foolish
  • Spiritual and moral
  • Spiritual
  • Mental
  • Mentally ill
  • 0012

E

  • Broken
  • Bossy
  • Natural
  • Echered
  • greedy
  • Miserable
  • hard, reinforced concrete)
  • Bile
  • Effeminate
  • Feminine
  • Womanly
  • Cute
  • Cruel
  • Rigid
  • Critical
  • PROSOLABLE
  • MORY
  • Cultural
L
  • Laby (here is mood)
  • Laconic
  • Latennaya
  • Light (not for weight. easy "on the rise")
  • Gullible
  • Frivolous
  • Frivolous
  • Easily irritable (easily irritated)
  • Easily controllable
  • Easily vulnerable
  • Unseasoned (not about cognac, but about the lack of endurance in a person)
  • Unbearable
  • Unbearable
  • Disharmonious
  • Negative (negatively tuned) , thinking)
  • Shallow (here is not about the depth of the reservoir, but about the depth of the inner content of a person)
  • Non-proud
  • Inhospitable
  • Illiterate
  • Unnecessary
  • optional (here is not a loving obligations that does not recognize them, avoiding duties, etc.)
  • incorpected
  • Fear
  • Fisherous
  • Direct
  • 2 Unsuitable
  • NOTSED NOW THE
  • NOT Untrue
  • Non-idle
  • Impractical
  • Unpredictable
  • Unforeseen
  • Inflexible
  • Moral
  • Cut

O

  • Charming
  • Obvornoye
  • Offective
  • Offended (here in the meaning - offended by life, on fate, etc. )
  • deceitful
  • See Educated
  • Sociable
  • Objective
  • Compulsory
  • Gifted
  • Possessed (here in the meaning - obsessed with work, work, the devil, etc.)
  • Standard
  • dull
  • Lastly
  • Desperate
  • Owl
  • Oygnidic
  • numb, charming
  • Eye
      • PADKY; ; avid for everything new, etc.)
      • Dirty
      • Memoryful
      • Paradoxical
      • Paranoid (here - a paranoid type of personality and as a result - a certain style of thinking, behavior, etc., characteristic of a person of this type)
      • Consistent
      • Obedient
      • Mediocre
      • Constant (here in the meaning - constant in his views, principles, attitude, etc.)
      • Shabby
      • Lost (here in the meaning - lost to society, life, etc.)
      • Amusing
      • Terrific
      • Lustful
      • Respectful
      • Vulgar
      • Vulgar
      • Truthful
      • Truthful20012
      • Written
      • Generally
      • Great
      • Admissive
      • Disgrasting
      • Unpleasant
      • Present
      • Fresh (here about a person in the significance - boring, without "dysfunction"
      • , without "pepper).
      • Boring
      • Criminal
      • Terrible
      • Successful
      • Fastidious
      • Affable
      • Silly
      • Director
      • Rectoline
      • Mice
      • Scarecrow
      • Bulbed
      • Punctual
      • Empty (empty person, “Pie with nothing”, etc.)
      • Emilland
      • Putic 9001
      • Empty-headed
      • Inquisitive

      Р

      • Submissive
      • Indifferent
      • Equal in rights
      • Equal in rights
      • Radical1
      • 0012
      • wasteful
      • Calculated
      • Refined
      • rational
      • reactive (here in the value - high -acting, quick, energetic, etc.)
      • Realistic
      • Jealous
      • Rare
      • Rare
      • Rare
      • Rent -on
      • Sharp
      • Retrograde
      • Decisive
      • Risky
      • Timid
      • Respectable
      • Romantic
      • Sharp (here in the meaning - much capable of hands, capable of much capable of hands)
      • Private (in the sense of ordinary)

      C

      • Demonial
      • Herly
      • Self -sufficient
      • Self -sufficient
      • Self-forgetting
      • Self-proclaimed
      • Self-loving
      • Self-confident
      • Self-confident
      • Self-critical
      • Self-confident
      • Angry
      • Compassionate (here - compassionate, compassionate)
      • Serious
      • Grey-footed (here it means ill-mannered, awkward, unable to behave, unable to behave, not allowed in a decent society, etc. )
      • Strong (not necessarily physically strong, for example: a strong-minded person, mentally strong, mentally strong, etc.) .)
      • Scaby
      • Scandalous
      • Skaed
      • Bad
      • Skeptical
      • Small
      • constrained (here is clamped, numb, constrained)
      • Slippery (here in the meaning is slippery, unreliable, unless. dishonest, ambiguous, obscene, dubious)
      • Modest
      • Secretive
      • Scrupulous
      • Poor-minded
      • Stingy
      • Stingy
      • capable (in the meaning-gifted, talented)
      • stable (constant, durable, sane, emotionally stable, socially stable, etc.)
      • Street
      • shy
      • STARTICAL
      • CESTURE
      • Strange
      • Passionate Passionate
      • Impetuous
      • Stress resistant
      • Strict
      • Obstinate
      • Shy
      • Subjective
      • Superstitious
      • Fussy
      • vain
      • Business
      • Crazy
      • Happy
      • mysterious
      • Talented
      • solid (here in the meaning - reliable, insistent, disgusting, disgraced, non -imminent man) , narrow-minded, stubborn, etc. )
      • Creative
      • Dark (here - dense, uneducated, caveman)
      • Temperamental
      • Patient
      • Fulb
      • Fatovskaya
      • feminine
      • FISH
      • Philosophical (for example: Philosophical, Philosophical, Juits, etc.)
      • Flematic
      • Frivolny (for example:: for example:: Fundamental

      Х

      • Charismatic
      • Boastful
      • Crappy
      • Cunning
      • Cunning
      • Cunning ass
      • Cunning
      • Cold-blooded
      • Hospitable
      • Choleric (having a choleric temperament, not the one who is sick with cholera)
      • Cold (this is not about temperature, but about mental Colds)
      • Holey
      • Commercial
      • Good
      • Brave
      • Hooligan
      • Khrenovy

      9000

      • Purposeful
      • Zinichny
      • Colore0012
      • tongued
      • bright
      • ardent (about any inclinations of a person. For example: an ardent defender of children, an ardent reformer, an ardent loafer and a lazy person, an ardent hater of fools)
      • Furious
      • Clairvoyant

      Note:

      • All of the above words (adjectives) can describe any person - a man, a woman, a teenager, and in many cases a child. To do this, you just need to change the ending of the desired word.
      • Also, remember: according to the rules of the Russian language, some of the above words can be both an adjective and a participle (depending on the context in which the word is used).
      • This list does not include obscene words and words that are specific terms used by narrow specialists for professional purposes.

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