What are adjectives? This is a question that many people have, and the answer is not always simple. Adjectives are words that describe a noun. They can be used to make writing more descriptive, and they can also be used to create specific impressions in the minds of readers or listeners.
In this lesson, we will explore the list of some common adjectives for ESL students to learn and use.
100 Adjectives List
Here is the list of 100 common adjectives in English.
- determined
- immense
- nasty
- colossal
- grubby
- large
- abrupt
- exuberant
- glorious
- troubled
- diminutive
- intrigued
- panicky
- costly
- hungry
- lovely
- disturbed
- foolish
- perplexed
- adventurous
- funny
- happy
- wicked
- condescending
- grumpy
- lazy
- despicable
- ideal
- narrow
- aloof
- greasy
- helpless
- zippy
- cooperative
- happy
- lonely
- courageous
- hurt
- lucky
- agitated
- gaudy
- healthy
- zany
- exasperated
- friendly
- tender
- confused
- handsome
- livid
- brave
- gritty
- hollow
- dizzy
- fresh
- teeny
- distressed
- irate
- perfect
- corny
- hollow
- loose
- exhilarated
- frothy
- terrible
- excited
- frightened
- tense
- acidic
- frothy
- gorgeous
- unsightly
- bored
- grieving
- high
- aggressive
- fuzzy
- harebrained
- yummy
- alert
- graceful
- helpful
- zealous
- adorable
- frustrating
- grubby
- upset
- bright
- grotesque
- homely
- cruel
- icy
- mysterious
- extensive
- frustrating
- tricky
- frantic
- quizzical
- dilapidated
- impressionable
- outrageous
100 Common Adjectives With Meaning and Example Sentences
- Determined: resolute, steadfast
Example: She was determined to finish the race no matter what.
- Immense: huge, vast
Example: The stadium was immense, and it could accommodate thousands of people.
- Nasty: unpleasant, disgusting
Example: The smell of the garbage was nasty, and it made me feel sick.
- Colossal: enormous, gigantic
Example: The sculpture in the park was colossal, and it was visible from miles away.
- Grubby: dirty, filthy
Example: He refused to wear the grubby shirt, as it was too stained and smelly.
- Large: big, sizable
Example: The large pizza was enough to feed the entire family.
- Abrupt: sudden, unexpected
Example: His abrupt departure from the meeting surprised everyone.
- Exuberant: lively, energetic
Example: The children’s exuberant laughter filled the room with joy.
- Glorious: magnificent, splendid
Example: The sunset was glorious, and the sky turned into a beautiful shade of orange.
- Troubled: worried, distressed
Example: She looked troubled, and her eyes were red from crying.
- Diminutive: tiny, small
Example: The kitten was diminutive, and it fit in the palm of my hand.
- Intrigued: curious, interested
Example: He was intrigued by the mysterious package that arrived at his door.
- Panicky: anxious, nervous
Example: She felt panicky when she realized she had lost her wallet.
- Costly: expensive, high-priced
Example: The luxurious car was too costly for me to afford.
- Hungry: famished, starving
Example: I was so hungry that I ate the whole pizza by myself.
- Lovely: beautiful, attractive
Example: The flowers in the garden were lovely, and they smelled sweet.
- Disturbed: troubled, upset
Example: The loud noise from the construction site disturbed his concentration.
- Foolish: silly, unwise
Example: It was foolish of him to quit his job without having another one lined up.
- Perplexed: confused, puzzled
Example: She was perplexed by the complicated instructions for the new gadget.
- Adventurous: daring, bold
Example: The couple was adventurous, and they loved to explore new places.
- Funny: humorous, amusing
Example: His jokes were funny, and they made everyone laugh.
- Happy: joyful, delighted
Example: She was happy to see her best friend after a long time.
- Wicked: evil, malevolent
Example: The villain in the movie was wicked, and he had a sinister plan.
- Condescending: patronizing, superior
Example: His condescending attitude made her feel belittled.
- Grumpy: irritable, grouchy
Example: He was grumpy in the morning before his first cup of coffee.
- Lazy: indolent, idle
Example: He was too lazy to clean up his room, so it remained messy.
- Despicable: hateful, detestable
Example: The bully’s behavior was despicable, and it was unacceptable.
- Ideal: perfect, flawless
Example: The weather was ideal for a picnic, and the sky was clear and sunny.
- Narrow: thin, slender
Example: The narrow alley was too small for a car to pass through.
- Aloof: distant, unapproachable
Example: He seemed aloof and didn’t want to socialize with anyone.
- Greasy: oily, fatty
Example: The greasy pizza made her feel nauseous.
- Helpless: powerless, vulnerable
Example: She felt helpless when her car broke down in the middle of the highway.
- Zippy: fast, quick
Example: The zippy sports car zoomed past the other vehicles on the road.
- Cooperative: helpful, accommodating
Example: The cooperative staff worked together to finish the project on time.
- Happy: joyful, content
Example: She was happy with her new job and the people she worked with.
- Lonely: isolated, alone
Example: He felt lonely in the big city, and he missed his family and friends.
- Courageous: brave, fearless
Example: The firefighters were courageous, and they risked their lives to save others.
- Hurt: injured, wounded
Example: She was hurt in an accident and had to go to the hospital.
- Lucky: fortunate, blessed
Example: He was lucky to win the lottery and become a millionaire.
- Agitated: anxious, nervous
Example: She felt agitated before the big exam and couldn’t sleep the night before.
- Gaudy: flashy, showy
Example: The gaudy dress was too loud and colorful for her taste.
- Healthy: fit, robust
Example: She lived a healthy lifestyle and exercised regularly to stay in shape.
- Zany: wacky, crazy
Example: The comedian’s zany jokes made the audience laugh uncontrollably.
- Exasperated: annoyed, frustrated
Example: He was exasperated with the slow internet connection and couldn’t get any work done.
- Friendly: amiable, sociable
Example: She was friendly to everyone she met, and she made new friends easily.
- Tender: gentle, caring
Example: The mother’s tender touch comforted her crying baby.
- Confused: puzzled, uncertain
Example: He was confused by the complex math problem and didn’t know how to solve it.
- Handsome: attractive, good-looking
Example: The handsome actor was the talk of the town, and he had many fans.
- Livid: angry, furious
Example: She was livid when she found out that her boyfriend had lied to her.
- Brave: courageous, heroic
Example: The soldier was brave and risked his life to save his comrades.
- Gritty: tough, determined
Example: The gritty athlete never gave up, even when the game seemed lost.
- Hollow: empty, vacant
Example: The hollow sound echoed through the empty room.
- Dizzy: lightheaded, disoriented
Example: She felt dizzy after spinning around too much on the amusement park ride.
- Fresh: new, recently made
Example: The bakery had fresh bread and pastries every day.
- Teeny: tiny, small
Example: The teeny kitten fit in the palm of her hand.
- Distressed: upset, worried
Example: She was distressed when she heard the bad news about her friend.
- Irate: angry, enraged
Example: He was irate when he found out that his car had been towed.
- Perfect: flawless, impeccable
Example: The cake was perfect, and it looked and tasted amazing.
- Corny: cheesy, clichéd
Example: The movie had a corny plot, and the dialogue was predictable.
- Hollow: empty, vacant
Example: The hollow tree trunk made a perfect hiding place for the squirrel.
- Loose: baggy, not tight
Example: The loose-fitting shirt was comfortable, but it didn’t look very stylish.
- Exhilarated: excited, thrilled
Example: She felt exhilarated after skydiving for the first time.
- Frothy: bubbly, foamy
Example: The frothy cappuccino had a thick layer of foam on top.
- Terrible: awful, dreadful
Example: The weather was terrible, and it rained all day.
- Excited: enthusiastic, eager
Example: She was excited about her upcoming vacation to Europe.
- Frightened: scared, afraid
Example: The little girl was frightened by the loud thunderstorm.
- Tense: anxious, nervous
Example: He felt tense before the job interview and couldn’t stop fidgeting.
- Acidic: sour, tart
Example: The acidic taste of the lemon made her pucker her lips.
- Frothy: bubbly, foamy
Example: The frothy beer had a thick head of foam on top.
- Gorgeous: beautiful, stunning
Example: The sunset over the ocean was gorgeous, and the colors were breathtaking.
- Unsightly: unattractive, ugly
Example: The graffiti on the wall was unsightly and ruined the neighborhood’s appearance.
- Bored: uninterested, dull
Example: He was bored during the long lecture and couldn’t wait for it to end.
- Grieving: mourning, sorrowful
Example: She was grieving the loss of her beloved pet and couldn’t stop crying.
- High: elevated, tall
Example: The high building had many floors and offered a great view of the city.
- Aggressive: hostile, combative
Example: The aggressive dog barked loudly and chased after the mailman.
- Fuzzy: unclear, blurry
Example: The old photograph was fuzzy, and it was hard to see the details.
- Harebrained: foolish, impractical
Example: His harebrained scheme to start a business without a plan was doomed to fail.
- Yummy: delicious, tasty
Example: The pizza was yummy, and it had all of her favorite toppings.
- Alert: attentive, watchful
Example: The security guard was alert and noticed the suspicious activity.
- Graceful: elegant, refined
Example: The ballerina’s graceful movements were beautiful and mesmerizing.
- Helpful: useful, beneficial
Example: The new software was helpful, and it made her work easier and more efficient.
- Zealous: enthusiastic, passionate
Example: The fans were zealous, and they cheered loudly for their team.
- Adorable: cute, charming
Example: The baby panda was adorable, and everyone wanted to take a picture with it.
- Frustrating: annoying, vexing
Example: The slow traffic was frustrating, and it made her late for her appointment.
- Grubby: dirty, grimy
Example: The grubby kitchen was in desperate need of a cleaning.
- Upset: distressed, agitated
Example: She was upset when she received a bad grade on her test.
- Bright: vivid, colorful
Example: The bright flowers in the garden were a sight to behold.
- Grotesque: ugly, monstrous
Example: The Halloween costume was grotesque, and it scared the children.
- Homely: plain, unattractive
Example: The homely house needed some renovations and a fresh coat of paint.
- Cruel: mean, heartless
Example: The bully’s cruel behavior towards his classmates was unacceptable.
- Icy: cold, frozen
Example: The icy road was slippery, and it was dangerous to drive on.
- Mysterious: enigmatic, puzzling
Example: The mysterious stranger in the black coat caught her attention.
- Extensive: widespread, far-reaching
Example: The company had an extensive network of branches across the country.
- Frustrating: annoying, vexing
Example: The computer glitch was frustrating, and it caused her to lose her work.
- Tricky: difficult, complicated
Example: The math problem was tricky, and it required a lot of thinking.
- Frantic: panicked, frenzied
Example: The frantic search for the missing child lasted all night.
- Quizzical: puzzled, questioning
Example: The quizzical expression on her face showed that she didn’t understand.
- Dilapidated: run-down, shabby
Example: The dilapidated old house was in need of some serious repairs.
- Impressionable: susceptible, easily influenced
Example: The impressionable teenager was swayed by her friends into making some bad decisions.
- Outrageous: shocking, scandalous
Example: The outrageous behavior at the party was inappropriate and unacceptable.
Related: 5000+ List of Adjectives
