Adjective for places

Adjectives that Describe Places - My Lingua Academy

Hi dear English learners! Have you been to some interesting places recently? Do you know how to speak or write about them? Well, here is the vocabulary to help you out with that. Here are 20 adjectives that describe places.

• Attractive
• Bustling
• Charming
• Cosmopolitan
• Crowded
• Exciting
• Famous
• Fascinating
• Holy
• Homey
• Interesting
• Lively
• Modern
• Multicultural
• Peaceful
• Popular
• Picturesque
• Polluted
• Thriving
• Touristy

An attractive place usually appeals to tourists and other visitors because it may have something interesting like beautiful nature, architecture, lively nightlife, etc.

• On a sunny day, the beautiful lake and forest of the parkland were an attractive place to spend a day.
• We’ve been to Greece on holiday and I can tell you that Athens is a very attractive city full of history, good food and welcoming people.

A bustling place is for example a big, crowded city with lots of noise and energy. An idiomatic expression with a similar meaning would be – hustle and bustle – They moved to the country to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

• Barcelona is well-known for its nightlife, countless bars, clubs and disco clubs and the bustling streets.
• In the late afternoon, they arrived at their destination – a bustling place full of people and vehicles. 

A charming place possesses charm and attractiveness. 

• Venice is a charming Italian city,  famous for its canals, gondolas, ancient temples and museums. 
• An area is a charming place, with traditional villages and sunny hills covered with vineyards.

We usually talk about cosmopolitan cities when they are composed of people from all over the world. We should also mention that a person who travels a lot is also a cosmopolitan – Tara has been getting around. She’s a real cosmopolitan.

• Budapest was closed after World War 2 but is now regaining its reputation as a cosmopolitan metropolis.
• The Australian culture and identity are changing, becoming more cosmopolitan every day.

A crowded place is full of people. 

• We never go to the seaside in the peak season because it is crowded then.
• The film begins in the streets of a crowded city where homeless people talk about how and why they ended up that way.

An exciting place makes us feel excited, thrilled, happy, or maybe curious.

• London has always been an exciting place to live in.
• The young couple wanted to travel the world together and see all those exciting places they both dreamed about.

A famous place is well and widely known.  

• The best and most famous places are located near the church, on a charming hill.
• Dubrovnik and Venice are the two most famous cities on the Adriatic coast, both with long and glorious pasts.

If a place is fascinating, then it must be extremely interesting and attractive because of its features.

• The city break to the fascinating city of Paris gives you an opportunity to see some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world.
• It is a fascinating place for bird watching, with over 100 species recorded.

A holy place usually has some religious features such as an old city, church or temple, etc.

• The temple was a holy place and it attracted many religious people, as well as tourists.
• We could see some interesting architecture, especially in the holy city, which has been developed by devotees.

A place that is homey is extremely pleasurable because it feels like home.

• We had dinner in a homey restaurant where they served delicious traditional food.
• On our way back from Spain, we stayed in a homey hostel, where we also had a big breakfast before we hit the road the next morning.

An interesting place is attractive,  exciting, extraordinary, etc. 

• There is a great number of interesting places to see in the Philippines.
• When we were in Mumbai, we visited some interesting places which are not on the map. Let me show you. 

If the place is lively, then it is vibrant and full of people and all kinds of events.

• City centres are usually much more lively than suburbs.
• Oxford is a lively city, always full of students and different manifestations.

A modern place reflects the current time and living style, architecture, etc.

• Long-lasting peace has enabled it to become a modern country integrated with all the world.
• Japan’s capital city, Tokyo has developed into one of the most modern cities in the world, with its towering skyscrapers and cutting edge technology.

If a place is multicultural, then people from different cultures live in it.

• Toronto is definitely one of the most multicultural cities in the world, featuring people from over 200 countries speaking almost 150 languages.
• Argentina is a multi-ethnic and multicultural country with significant European influence.

Peaceful places reflect peace and quiet, tranquillity, war-free zone.

• The view of the plane was breathtaking, with beautiful peaceful landscapes and a river flowing through.
• It was hard to believe that once a peaceful place could become a bustling tourist destination as it is today.

A place can be popular because it has an interesting culture, architecture, nature, gastronomy, etc.

• The city’s spas, dating from the Roman era, were a popular tourist destination.
• This beach is a popular place for surfers and it is also safe for swimming.

A place that is picturesque is beautiful and attractive.

• It was a picturesque coastal town with narrow streets and old cafes, restaurants and shops.
• From the hotel window, we could see a picturesque green valley with majestic mountains in the background. 

As you already know, a polluted place is affected by fumes and different pollutants such as carbon monoxide or similar.

• The Morgans are trying to move to the mountains as they no longer want to live in a polluted city.
• After the environmental disaster, many surrounding places were so polluted that the people had to be evacuated.

A thriving place is prosperous, it is growing and developing.

• Ever since the war ended, the country has developed into a thriving place, especially regarding the food industry.
• The city’s lively and friendly atmosphere attracts visitors from all over the world, making it a thriving business centre.

A touristy place is very popular with tourists.

• In the past decades, the city of Dubai has turned into a  touristy place, flooded by foreigners.
• Tarifa is one of the most touristy cities in the world, as well as one of the most cosmopolitan.

Here are some more adjectives to describe places. We can describe a place as stunning, breathtaking, ancient, contemporary, native, coastal, industrial, quiet, strange, warm, safe, dangerous, poor, favourite, solitary, delightful, lovely, cold, quaint, fashionable, dull, etc.

If you come up with some other adjectives to describe places, just add them in the comment box. Thank you! 😀

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List of Words to Describe Places

• DESCRIPTION

  Picturesque town of Positano, Italy

• SOURCE

  Lina Harb / EyeEm / Getty Images

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  Used under license

The job of fiction writers is to transport their readers to fascinating places and times. A great novel can take us back to medieval times, over to deserted islands, or even into a fantasy world. With a task like that, tired and overused words like "pretty" and "fun" just won't cut it. How about unspoiled terrain or stormy waters?

If we can find the right words to conjure up a three-dimensional scene, readers are likely to book return flights with their favorite authors. Use this list of words to describe places as a springboard for new territory. Truth is, the more we read, the more words will stick to our memory bank. Until then, let's start traveling.

Words that Embrace a Place

The words we choose will allow the reader to understand the writer's perspective. To call something bustling and vibrant is quite different from desolate and deserted. Will any of these descriptive words for places stoke the flames of your next scene?

• Alive - Full of life
• Attractive - Pleasing; charming
• Beautiful - Having qualities that are pleasing or appealing
• Bustling - Full of life, energy
• Calm - Peaceful; free from stress
• Charming - Fascinating; likeable
• Cosmopolitan - Appealing to people from all across the globe
• Enchanting - Delightful; fascinating
• Fascinating - Alluring; captivating
• Fresh - Something newly made and full of vigor
• Homey - Cozy; inviting
• Inspiring - Enlivening; motivating
• Lively - Full of life and spirit
• Peaceful - Calm; friendly
• Picturesque - Scenic; beautiful
• Unspoiled - Untouched by man; pure
• Vibrant - Full of life; energy

Words to Express Dislike for a Place

If the show doesn't fit, don't force it. Go ahead and call it polluted, rundown, or even horrifying. Try to evoke scents as well as sights with your prose. Some of these words may be subject to opinion, such as crowded or touristy, but readers will quickly catch your connotation.

• Bleak - Gloomy; somber
• Boring - Dull; uninteresting
• Creepy - Causing feelings of fear or disgust
• Crowded - Filled to capacity
• Deserted - Abandoned; uninhabited
• Desolate - Empty; bleak
• Dull - Boring; lacking zest
• Expensive - Costly; having a very high price
• Horrifying - Frightening; disgusting
• Nightmarish - Resembling a bad dream
• Polluted - Dirty; contaminated
• Rundown - In poor condition
• Stormy - Turbulent; tempestuous
• Touristy - Of or for tourists, suggesting tastelessness
• Ugly - Visually unpleasing

More Words to Describe a Place

Sometimes, it all boils down to the facts of the matter. Perhaps you're visiting ancient ruins or staying at a contemporary resort. Here are some unbiased descriptors to help you label a place:

• Ancient - Belonging to an earlier period of time
• Contemporary - Existing in the present time
• Magical - Captivating; enchanting
• Majestic - Grand; impressive; stately
• Modern - Of or relating to the current time
• Mystical - Magical; enigmatic
• Quiet - Not noisy
• Traditional - In keeping with conventional customs

Transport Your Readers

It's kind of like a superpower. Writers can use black words on a white page to transport readers out of their sofa and into foreign lands. You could describe a war or the perfect Utopia. The words writers choose to describe places are important; they're the vehicle that moves people from place to place.

Are you looking to kickstart your writing adventures with a short story? Then, come on over. Let's get creative. Here's how to write a short story.

Adjectives to describe places

Summer is coming and the moment is approaching when you will forget about work for a week or two and go on vacation. Traveling and vacations are, of course, emotions. And emotions are best conveyed by adjectives.

In this article, I will introduce you to descriptive vocabulary that can (and should) be used to describe different places. All words are presented with transcription, which is not just here, but so that you pay attention to it and immediately memorize the word with the correct stress and pronunciation. In addition, when learning new adjectives, try to connect them with the knowledge that you already have: synonyms and antonyms, with those words (verbs and nouns) from which they originated. I will also talk about this.

Let's go beyond the usual elementary good, bad and beautiful and look at more "advanced" descriptive vocabulary that will help make your speech rich and colorful. By the way, this article will be useful not only for those who want to improve their level and communicate more freely, but also for everyone who is preparing for the oral and written parts of the international IELTS, TOEFL, FCE, CAE exams.

Positive and neutral adjectives

Breathtaking ['breθˌteɪkɪŋ] - literally: breathtaking. It is formed from the words breath (breath) and take (take). It can also be translated as amazing, amazing, delightful.

A breathtaking view
A breathtaking scenery

Busy ['bɪzɪ] – lively, fussy.

Busy squares of London

Charming ['ʧɑːmɪŋ] - very pleasant, charming

Charming narrow streets

Compact [ˌkəm'pækt] compact, small. Pretty much the same as small. More synonyms for the adjective small in this article.

Compact historical center

Contemporary [kən'tempərərɪ] – modern, new, modernist. A more popular synonym is modern ['mɔd(ə)n] - modern, fashionable.

Contemporary buildings
Modern architecture

Cosmopolitan [ˌkɔzmə'pɔlɪt(ə)n] – multinational.

New York is a cosmopolitan city. New York is a cosmopolitan city.

Delightful [dɪ'laɪtful] – delightful, charming. The adjective comes from the word delight (pleasure, enjoyment) with the suffix -ful, which means fullness. Read more about the -ful suffix in this article.

A delightful mountain village

Enchanting [en'ʧɑːntɪŋ] – bewitching, bewitching. The meaning is very close to the word charming.

An enchanting view of the lake

Exciting [ɪk'saɪtɪŋ] - exciting, amazing. The word is a derivative of the verb to excite (to delight, greatly interest, excite).

An exciting view from the top of the mountain - amazing view from the top of the mountain

Exquisite [ɪk'skwɪzɪt, ek-] - refined, sophisticated.

Exquisite restaurants and shops

Famous ['feɪməs] - famous, famous. The adjective comes from the noun fame (glory).

We saw famous fountains and squares. We saw the famous fountains and squares.

Fascinating ['fæsɪneɪtɪŋ] - very interesting, amazing. The basis is the verb to fascinate ['fæsɪneɪt] (to delight, delight, enchant). Fascinating is the same as "very interesting", so the very amplifier is not used with this adjective, otherwise the meaning will be "very very interesting". Read more about adjectives that you can't say very in Gradable/ Non gradable Adjectives. And if you decide to use the adjective fascinating, then please pronounce it correctly - with the stress on the first syllable. Transcription at your service.

The architecture of the town is fascinating. – The architecture of the city is amazing.

Gorgeous ['gɔːʤəs] - magnificent, beautiful, excellent.

A gorgeous castle

Historic [hɪs'tɔrɪk] - historical, memorable. Do not confuse with historical. A very detailed explanation of the difference between adjectives with the suffixes -ic and -ical in this material.

Rome is full of historic places. Rome is full of historical places.

Huge [hjuːʤ] – big, gigantic, enormous, huge.

Angkor Wat is a huge temple. Angkor Wat is a huge temple.

Industrial [ɪn'dʌstrɪəl] - industrial, industrial.

We drove through the industrial area of ​​the city. We drove through the industrial part of the city.

Invigorating [ɪn'vɪg(ə)reɪtɪŋ] – inspiring, inspiring, energizing. This adjective comes from the verb to invigorate (to inspire, inspire). Pay attention to the accent!

The atmosphere of Barcelona is very invigorating. – The atmosphere of Barcelona is very inspiring.

Lively ['laɪvlɪ] - lively, picturesque, lively. Do not confuse lively with the words alive and living (alive, in the sense not dead - about beings).

The city center is lively even early in the morning. The city center is busy even in the early morning.

Mysterious [mɪ'stɪərɪəs] - mysterious, enigmatic, comes from the word mystery - mystery, riddle.

The mysterious old churches and caves - mysterious old churches and caves

Picturesque [ˌpɪkʧ(ə)'resk] – picturesque.

And picturesque valley is a picturesque valley.

Rural ['ruər(ə)l] – rustic, rural.

The rural Tuscany impressed us a lot. – The countryside of Tuscany impressed us very much.

Thrilling [θrɪlɪŋ] - exciting, exciting. From the verb to thrill, from which, by the way, the name of the popular film genre: thriller.

The thrilling view of Niagara falls

Tiny ['taɪnɪ] – small, tiny. Let me remind you that there are more synonyms for the adjectives little and small in this article.

The hotel room was tiny. – The hotel room was tiny.

Trendy ['trendɪ] - fashionable, stylish. Of course, the source word is trend (direction, trend in fashion, art).

Trendy streets of Tokyo - stylish streets of Tokyo

Urban ['ɜːb(ə)n] – urban, opposition to rural.

I prefer holidays in urban areas. I prefer to spend my holidays in the city.

Vast [vɑːst] - huge, vast, huge, boundless, boundless, endless.

The vast desert - endless desert

Vibrant ['vaɪbrənt] - lively, energetic, full of life. It comes from the verb to vibrate [vaɪ'breɪt] - to vibrate. The adjective vibrant describes places that are always in motion.

Ibiza is a vibrant place. Ibiza is a place full of life.

Negative adjectives

Boring ['bɔːrɪŋ] - boring, uninteresting.

Holiday in a small village can be boring. A vacation in a small village can be boring.

Bustling ['bʌslɪŋ] bustling, noisy, restless. It comes from the word bustle - commotion, vanity or make noise, fuss. A better known synonym for noisy.

The main streets of megacities are always bustling. The main streets of big cities are always very noisy.
It was noisy even at night. It was noisy even at night.

Desert ['dezət] - deserted, abandoned, deserted, uninhabited. The adjective is derived from the word desert ['dezət] (desert).

Some people like deserted beaches. Some people like deserted beaches.

Dull [dʌl] - boring, gloomy, dull.

They say London is a very dull place in winter. London is said to be a very dull place in winter.

Enervating ['e̱nə(r)veɪtɪŋ] – tiresome, hilarious.

The group tours can be enervating. – Group tours can be very tiring.

Hectic ['hektɪk] - fussy, too noisy.

Compared to my hometown, Moscow is too hectic. – Compared to my hometown, Moscow is very noisy.

Plain [pleɪn] - plain, ordinary.

Berlin turned out to be a plain city. Berlin turned out to be an ordinary city.

Overcrowded [ˌəuvə'kraudɪd] - overcrowded, full of people. The prefix over- (over-, re-) and the adjective crowded (from the word crowd - crowd). The blog has a whole lesson dedicated to the prefix over.

I disliked the central square as it was overcrowded. – I did not like the central square, it was overcrowded with people.

Sprawling ['sprɔːlɪŋ] - randomly built up, huge. From the verb to sprawl [sprɔːl] - stretch, stretch, spread in all directions. Some cities do just that.

Istanbul is a sprawling city. Istanbul is a huge city.

Polluted [pə'luːtɪd] - polluted. Together with the adjective, memorize the verb to pollute (to pollute) and the noun pollution (pollution).

Beijing was even more polluted than I imagined. Beijing was even dirtier than I imagined.

Packed [pækt] - crowded, crowded, crowded. The adjective is close in meaning to crowded and overcrowded.

The museums were packed with tourists. The museums were overflowing with tourists.

Pricey ['praɪsɪ] - expensive, the same as expensive.

Staying in the center of Copenhagen can be quite pricey. – Staying in a hotel in the center of Copenhagen can be quite expensive.

Old-fashioned [ˌəuld'fæʃ(ə)nd] - old fashioned.

The hotels on the island were old-fashioned and uncomfortable. The hotels on the island were old-fashioned and uncomfortable.

Touristy ['tuərɪstɪ] - crowded with tourists.

We wanted to go somewhere not touristy. We wanted to go somewhere where there are no tourists.

Yes, there are a lot of words, but it is absolutely necessary to memorize everything at once. Highlight those that you already knew, but did not use in speech. Surely you have come across these on the list. From the words that are new to you, choose 5-10 and try to use them instead of the adjectives you are used to. When this portion of new vocabulary comes into your life, take a few more. This way you will always have the right words to express your thoughts in English and stop using the same simple adjectives good, bad and interesting.

Memory exercise: write down in a column the names of countries, cities, places you have visited or want to visit. Next to each, write down the adjective associated with it that best describes the place. Think about why you associated this place with this adjective. Make up your sentence with a new word.

For those who want to talk, but cannot organize the work on their own, we offer a conversational English course via Skype. Interesting topics and discussions every lesson, we speak only English, we analyze and analyze mistakes, we receive and use new vocabulary. You can try skype training at a free introductory lesson with our teachers. You can sign up for an introductory class right now.

I wish you success!

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English adjectives

An adjective in English is called an adjective. As in Russian, English adjectives answer the questions “what?”, “what?”, “what?” and indicate the characteristics of objects.

In English, adjectives do not decline for cases, genders, numbers, do not have short forms, but play an important role in making speech and texts more colorful, understandable and detailed.

Let's start with the classification of English adjectives.

Adjectives are classified according to their meaning into relative and qualitative adjectives.

Relative adjectives denote features of objects or phenomena that cannot be expressed to a greater or lesser extent, that is, they do not have degrees of comparison. Also, relative adjectives do not combine with words such as very (very), enough (quite).

Adjectives of this type include adjectives that mean:

• location. For example: southern (southern), top (upper), middle (central).
• materials, composition. For example: gold (gold), glass (glass), iron (iron).
• origin. For example: Russian (Russian), American (American).
• timing. For example: daily (daily), monthly (monthly).
• industry affiliation. For example: political (political), economic (economic).

Qualitative adjectives describe a certain attribute of an object. Sometimes they are also called descriptive adjectives.

Qualitative adjectives refer to:

• color Red (red), white (white), yellow (yellow).
• size and shape. Small (small), big (large), huge (huge), long (long), round (round).
• opinion and evaluation. Beautiful (beautiful), excellent (excellent), nice (beautiful), terrible (terrible).
• sensations and emotions. Cold (cold), tasty (tasty), awful (terrible), happy (happy), sad (sad).

Please note that depending on the context and meaning, the same adjective can fall into different categories of adjectives at the same time.

In addition, English adjectives can be divided into 3 groups according to word composition.

• simple adjectives that consist only of the root. For example: short (short), long (long), young (young), nice (pleasant), cold (cold).
• derivative adjectives that have a prefix and / or suffix in the word. For example: useful (useful), interesting (interesting), unhappy (unhappy), dangerous (dangerous), impossible (impossible).
• Compound or compound adjectives consisting of several words that can be separated by a hyphen. For example, hard-working (hard-working), good-looking (pretty), well-educated (well-educated), short-tempered (unrestrained).

As we have already noted, qualitative adjectives can have degrees of comparison. Let's consider this in more detail.

Adjectives can have 2 degrees of comparison: comparative, when two or more objects, persons or phenomena are compared with each other, and superlative, when one or more objects are distinguished from a group of similar ones on some basis.

Let's give examples of the comparative degree in Russian.

This boy in the gray hat is older than the guys he is currently playing with.

Red maples usually cost more than regular green maples.