Adjectives | Common Adjective Examples In English A-Z List

   

Definition Adjectives

Definition: Adjectives are descriptive words used to characterize and clarify the qualities or attributes of nouns. These help to provide a more detailed and specific understanding of the noun they modify. They add precision and nuance to language, aiding in effective communication.

The definition often conveys subjective judgments or objective observations about the inherent nature or features of the noun, offering a richer and more vivid portrayal. Utilizing these enhances the clarity and depth of expression, allowing for a more nuanced and accurate description of the subject.

What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words that depict or alter nouns or pronouns, giving extra data about their size, shape, variety, amount, or different qualities: Yellow, Huge, Senseless, Fun, Slow.

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What Is An Adjective?

An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun by providing more information about its qualities, characteristics, or attributes. It can add detail to a sentence, helping to convey a more vivid and precise image of the subject.

They can indicate size, color, shape, quantity, and other qualities to enhance their understanding of the noun or pronoun they modify. For example, in the phrase “a red apple,” the adjective “red” describes the color of the noun “apple.” It plays a crucial role in language by allowing speakers and writers to express nuances and create a more vivid and expressive communication.

Adjective Suffix

An adjective suffix is a morpheme added to the end of a base word to transform it into an adjective, altering its meaning or indicating a specific quality. Common adjective suffixes include “-ful” (e.g., joyful), “-ous” (e.g., spacious), “able” (e.g., comfortable), “-ic” (e.g., energetic), and “-less” (e.g., fearless).

Common Adjectives Examples

1. “-ful“: Adding this suffix implies the presence or possession of a quality, such as “joyful” or “beautiful.”
2. “-ous“: Often used to form denoting characteristics or qualities, like “courageous” or “delicious.”
3. “-able” or “-ible”: These suffixes indicate the capability or possibility of something, as seen in “comfortable” or “flexible.”
4. “-ic“: Frequently used to create related to a specific quality or characteristic, such as “heroic” or “athletic.”
5. “-y“: This suffix is versatile, forming twords that describe characteristics, like “happy” or “cloudy.”

Understanding these adjective suffixes can help expand vocabulary and construct more precise and descriptive language.

Types of Adjectives

Adjectives can be classified into several types based on their functions and the qualities they describe. Here are some common types:

Descriptive Adjectives

These describe the characteristics or qualities of a noun, providing more details about its appearance, size, shape, color, and other attributes. For example, in the phrase “a tall building,” “tall” is a descriptive adjective.

Quantitative Adjectives

These indicate the quantity or amount of the noun they modify. Examples include “many,” “few,” “some,” “several,” and “all.” For instance, in the phrase “many books,” “many” is a quantitative adjective.

Demonstrative Adjectives

These point out or specify a particular noun. Common demonstratives include “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” For example, in the phrase “this car,” “this” is a demonstrative adjective.

Possessive Adjectives

These show ownership or possession. Common examples are “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their.” In the phrase “her book,” “her” is a possessive adjective.

Interrogative Adjectives

These adjectives are used to ask questions about a noun. Common interrogatives include “which,” “what,” and “whose.” For instance, in the question “Which color do you prefer?” – “Which” is an interrogative adjective.

Indefinite Adjectives

These are not specific and refer to a non-particular quantity or quality. Examples include “some,” “any,” “many,” “few,” and “several.” In the phrase “some people,” “some” is an indefinite adjective.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

These are used to make comparisons. Comparative (e.g., “taller,” “smarter”) compares two things, while superlative (e.g., “tallest,” “smartest”) indicates the highest degree among three or more.

Use Of Descriptive Adjectives

Descriptive plays a crucial role in language by providing vivid details and enhancing the understanding of nouns in a sentence. Here are some key uses of descriptive:

1. Adding Detail: Descriptive provides specific details about the qualities, characteristics, or attributes of a noun, making the description more informative and colorful. For example, in the phrase “a beautiful sunset,” the adjective “beautiful” adds detail to the noun “sunset.”
2. Painting Mental Images: Descriptive adjectives help create mental images for the reader or listener. By using words like “sparkling,” “mysterious,” or “majestic,” speakers can evoke a particular image or feeling associated with the noun.
3. Clarifying Meaning: Descriptive can clarify the meaning of a noun, especially when the noun itself may be general or ambiguous. For instance, in the phrase “a large dog,” the adjective “large” specifies the size of the dog.
4. Expressing Opinions: Descriptive often conveys subjective opinions or judgments about a noun. For example, in the phrase “a delicious meal,” the adjective “delicious” reflects the speaker’s positive opinion about the food.
5. Creating Atmosphere: Descriptive adjectives contribute to the overall atmosphere or mood of a sentence. Words like “serene,” “stormy,” or “tranquil” set the tone and help convey a particular ambiance.
6. Enhancing Writing Style: Writers use descriptive language to enhance their writing style, making it more engaging and captivating. Well-chosen words contribute to the overall quality of prose, making it more interesting and expressive.

Examples

• Beautiful Sunset:
  The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow across the sky, creating a beautiful sunset.
• Adventurous Journey:
  With a backpack full of supplies and a map in hand, they embarked on an adventurous journey through the dense and mysterious forest.
• Enormous Elephant:
  In the clearing, an enormous elephant emerged from the trees, its majestic tusks and wrinkled skin captivating everyone’s attention.
• Mysterious Old Mansion:
  The narrow path led to a mysterious old mansion with crumbling walls and ivy-covered windows, evoking a sense of intrigue and curiosity.
• Delicious Homemade Pie:
  The aroma of cinnamon and apples filled the kitchen as she pulled a delicious homemade pie from the oven, its golden crust glistening with perfection.
• Silent Starry Night:
  As the world slept, the silent starry night unfolded, with millions of twinkling lights illuminating the vastness of the cosmic canvas.
• Fascinating Historical Artifact:
  In the museum, a glass case protected a fascinating historical artifact, adorned with intricate carvings and bearing the marks of centuries gone by.
• Gentle Ocean Breeze:
  Sitting on the sandy beach, they enjoyed the gentle ocean breeze, which carried the salty scent of the sea and the rhythmic sounds of crashing waves.

Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrators are used to point out or specify a particular noun by indicating its proximity or distance from the speaker. The four main demonstratives are “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”

Here’s how they are used in sentences:

1. This:

• This car is mine.
• Can you pass me this book?

2. That:

• Look at that beautiful sunset!
• I don’t want that sandwich; I’ll have this one instead.

3. These:

• These shoes are too tight.
• I planted these flowers in the garden.

4. Those:

• Those mountains in the distance are breathtaking.
• Are those your keys on the table?

Demonstrative help clarify which specific noun is being referred to and whether it is singular or plural. “This” and “these” are used for things that are close, either physically or in terms of time, while “that” and “those” are used for things that are farther away or more distant in time. These play a crucial role in providing context and precision in communication.

Quantitative Adjectives

Quantitative words are words that indicate the quantity or extent of a noun. They help provide information about the amount, number, or degree of the noun they modify. Here are some common quantitative:

1. Many:
   There are many books on the shelf.
2. Few:
   There are only a few apples left in the basket.
3. Several:
   She made several attempts to solve the puzzle.
4. All:
   All students must complete the assignment.
5. Some:
   Could you please pass me some sugar?
6. Any:
   Do you have any questions about the project?
7. Much:
   There is not much time left before the deadline.
8. Little:
   There is little information available on that topic.

Possessive Adjectives

Possessive is used to indicate ownership or possession. They modify a noun to show to whom or to what something belongs. The most common possessives are:

1. My:
   This is my car.
2. Your:
   Is this your house?
3. His:
   I found his keys on the table.
4. Her:
   Can I borrow her pen?
5. Its:
   The cat is cleaning its paws.
6. Our:
   We decorated our apartment for the party.
7. Their:
   Those are their bicycles in the garage.

Possessive is essential for indicating relationships and ownership, helping to clarify who possesses or owns a particular object or thing. They are often used before a noun to modify and describe it in terms of possession.

Interrogative AdjectivesInterrogativese are words used to ask questions about a noun. These are typically placed before a noun and help to gather information by specifying which particular thing or things the speaker is inquiring about. The interrogatives are:

• Which:
  Which book would you like to read?
• What:
  What movie did you watch last night?
• Whose:
  Whose backpack is this?

Interrogative adjectives are important in forming questions and seeking clarification. They help to narrow down choices or identify a particular item or person within a given context. These are often used when the speaker is uncertain or needs more information about a specific noun.

Comparative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives are used to compare the differences in quality, quantity, or degree between two nouns. They often end in “-er” or use the word “more” before the adjective. Here are some examples:

1. Taller:
   John is taller than his brother.
2. Smaller:
   The kitten is smaller than the adult cat.
3. Faster:
   The sports car is faster than the sedan.
4. More Beautiful:
   The sunset today is more beautiful than yesterday’s.
5. More Intelligent:
   Sarah is more intelligent than her classmates.

Comparative helps express the relative superiority or inferiority of one noun in comparison to another. When dealing with nouns, such as those with two or more syllables, the comparative form is often created by using “more” before the adjective.

Superlative Adjectives

Superlatives are used to express the highest degree of quality, quantity, or degree among three or more nouns. They often end in “-est” or use the word “most” before the adjective. Here are some examples:

1. Tallest:
   Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
2. Smallest:
   The ladybug is the smallest insect in the garden.
3. Fastest:
   The cheetah is the fastest land animal.
4. Most Beautiful:
   The Taj Mahal is considered the most beautiful building in the world.
5. Most Intelligent:
   Einstein is often regarded as the most intelligent person in history.

Superlative helps convey the highest level of a particular quality or attribute within a group. When dealing with longer words, such as those with two or more syllables, the superlative form is often created by using “most” before the adjective.

Position of Adjectives

The position of adjectives in a sentence can vary, but there are general guidelines that can be followed. The typical order in English is as follows:

1. Quantity or Number:
   Adjectives indicating quantity or number usually come first. For example: “three dogs,” “many books.”
2. Quality or Opinion:
   Adjectives expressing quality or opinion come next. For example: “beautiful flowers,” “interesting movie.”
3. Size:
   Adjectives describing size follow quality or opinion. For example: “small house,” “enormous tree.”
4. Age:
   Adjectives denoting age come after size. For example: “old building,” “young child.”
5. Shape:
   Adjectives describing shape follow age. For example: “round table,” “square box.”
6. Color:
   Adjectives indicating color come next. For example: “red car,” “blue sky.”
7. Proper Adjectives (often nationality, other proper nouns):
   Derived from proper nouns that come after color. For example: “Italian cuisine,” and “Japanese culture.”
8. Purpose of Qualifier:
   Specifying purpose or serving as qualifiers typically comes last. For example: “cooking utensils,” “sleeping bag.”

However, not all sentences will be included from every category, and there can be exceptions to this order. The goal is to maintain clarity and coherence in the expression of ideas. It’s also important to note that certain may function better in different positions based on context, and the order can be adjusted for stylistic reasons.

Comparison of Adjectives

Adjectives are often compared to express the degree of a particular quality or attribute. There are three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative.

1. Positive Degree:

The positive degree is the base form of the adjective, used to describe a single noun without making any comparison.

Example: The cat is cute.

2. Comparative Degree:

The comparative degree is used to compare two nouns and typically ends in “-er” or uses the word “more” before the adjective.

Example: The dog is larger than the cat.

Example: The novel is more interesting than the movie.

3. Superlative Degree:

The superlative degree is used to express the highest degree of quality among three or more nouns and typically ends in “-est” or uses the word “most” before the adjective.

Example: The elephant is the largest animal in the zoo.

Example: The mountain is the most challenging to climb in the region.

It’s important to note that one-syllable adjectives often take the “-er” or “-est” endings for the comparative and superlative degrees, while longer adjectives use “more” or “most” before the adjective. Irregular may have entirely different forms in the comparative and superlative degrees, and some remain unchanged in certain degrees.

Examples of Adjectives Ending in -ED &-ING

Adjectives ending in “-ed” and “-ing” are known as participial. They are derived from verbs and often describe the emotional state or characteristics of a person, thing, or situation. Here are examples of  ending in “-ed” and “-ing”:

Adjectives ending in “-ED”:

1. Excited:
   The children were excited about the upcoming holiday.
2. Confused:
   After the unexpected turn of events, she was confused about what to do next.
3. Interested:
   James has always been interested in astronomy.
4. Surprised:
   The sudden appearance of the magician surprised the audience.
5. Tired:
   After a long day at work, she felt tired and ready to rest.

Adjectives ending in “-ING”:

1. Exciting:
   The roller coaster ride was thrilling and exciting.
2. Confusing:
   The complex instructions were confusing for the new employees.
3. Interesting:
   The documentary about marine life was both informative and interesting.
4. Surprising:
   The news of her promotion was surprising and unexpected.
5. Tiring:
   Running a marathon can be physically tiring but also incredibly rewarding.

List Of  Common Adjectives

Food Adjectives List

Savory	Chewy	Salty
Sweet	Sour	Crispy
Spicy	Rich	Juicy
Tangy	Creamy	Tender
Bitter	Flaky	Crumbly

Spanish Adjectives To Describe A Person

Amable	Simpatico	Amistoso
Generoso	Divertido	Cariñoso
Inteligente	Valiente	Sensible
Gracioso	Honesto	Creativo
Guapo/Bonito	Trabajador	Alegre

Funny Adjectives

Wacky	Bizarre	Nutty
Goofy	Kooky	Hilarious
Silly	Absurd	Outlandish
Quirky	Whimsical	Eccentric
Zany	Ludicrous	Comical

Personality Adjectives

Outgoing	Determined	Independent
Introverted	Ambitious	Creative
Comments	Common	Enthusiastic
Humble	Optimistic	Open-minded
Reliable	Pessimistic	Critical

List of Adjectives A-Z

Here is a complete commonly used adjectives list in English to improve your vocabulary in the English language. We sorted them alphabetically and by their grammatical functions.

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With A

Able	Awful	Angry
Admired	Amusing	Adorable
Ashamed	Attractive	Ancient
Appropriate	Awesome	Awkward
Anxious	Amazing	Ambitious

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With B

Bitter	Brown	Busy
Broken	Bad	Best
Bright	Brave	Brief
Bare	Broad	Blue
Big	Beautiful	Beloved

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With C

Cute	Cold	Critical
Colorful	Creative	Clever
Charming	Cheerful	Curious
Careful	Comfortable	Clumsy
Crazy	Calm	Confident

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With D

Determined	Dull	Diverse
Distinct	Desperate	Dramatic
Delightful	Distant	Domestic
Dirty	Deep	Dry
Divine	Dark	Difficult

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With E

Enthusiastic	Emotional	Exquisite
Expensive	Efficient	Easy
Eager	Excellent	Extreme
Eminent	Exotic	Eclectic
Extravagant	Elegant	Elderly

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With F

Fine	Fabulous	Fat
Fancy	Fearless	Flawless
Fantastic	Feisty	Fluffy
Far	Fierce	Foolish
Fascinating	Filthy	Friendly

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With G

Good	Groovy	Glamorous
Great	Glorious	Grateful
Gentle	Genuine	Giddy
Gracious	Gigantic	Grey
Generous	Green	Grim

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With H

Hot	Heavy	Happy
Helpful	High	Humble
Hardworking	Historic	Humorous
Healthy	Honorable	Huge
Hearty	Horrific	Hungry

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With I

Illuminated	Inactive	Icy
Ideal	Immaculate	Incomparable
Idiotic	Immense	Inexpensive
Ill	Impartial	Inquisitive
Illegal	Impressive	Interesting

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With J

Jovial	Jaded	Jittery
Jarring	Jocose	Joyful
Jazzy	Jocular	Joyous
Jealous	Jolly	Jubilant
Jesting	Joint	Judicial

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With K

Kinesthetic	Kind	Karmic
Keen	Kooky	Kernel
Known	Kempt	Knotty
Key	Klutzy	Kosher
Knockout	Knowledgeable	Kooky

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With L

Lovely	Large	Loud
Little	Low	Lucky
Long	Loyal	Luxurious
Late	Lively	Logical
Last	Light	Lonely

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With M

Majestic	Magical	Magnificent
Mysterious	Mischievous	Mediocre
Marvelous	Modern	Modest
Moody	Mature	Massive
Melancholic	Miniature	Mouthwatering

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With N

Narrow	New	Neat
Nasty	Necessary	Nice
Natural	Negative	Noisy
Naughty	Neighboring	Normal
Near	Nervous	Numerous

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With O

Obese	Odd	Opposite
Objective	Oily	Optimistic
Obligatory	Old	Oral
Observant	Open	Organic
Obvious	Operatic	Ornate

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With P

Powerful	Polite	Practical
Pleasant	Proper	Popular
Playful	Positive	Proud
Patient	Passionate	Precious
Punctual	Precise	Peaceful

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With Q

Quaint	Queenly	Quilted
Qualified	Quenchless	Quirky
Quantitative	Quick	Quixotic
Quasi	Quickest	Quizzical
Quaternary	Quiet	Quality

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With R

Radiant	Raw	Remote
Rapid	Ready	Resilient
Rare	Realistic	Respectful
Rash	Reliable	Responsible
Rational	Remarkable	Rich

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With S

Sad	Simple	Scruffy
Safe	Shiny	Smart
Salty	Short	Smooth
Satisfied	Shy	Soft
Scary	Silly	Sour

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With T

Terrible	Tall	Timid
Tiny	Terrific	Tiny
Tense	Thick	Tasty
Tired	Thin	Tremendous
Tender	Tight	Tricky

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With U

Unacceptable	Ubiquitous	Unique
Ugly	Uncommon	United
Ultimate	Understated	Universal
Ultra	Uneasy	Unusual
Umpteen	Unforgettable	Uplifting

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With V

Verbal	Vacant	Vile
Valid	Versatile	Villainous
Valuable	Vibrant	Violent
Vast	Victorious	Virtual
Venerable	Vigorous	Vital

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With W

Warm	Wealthy	Wavy
Wet	Wide	Wooden
White	Witty	Wonderful
Wise	Weak	Worthwhile
Wild	Wicked	Worried

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With X

Xanthopous	Xcto	Xenobiotic
Xanthian	Xanthoproteic	Xenodochial
Xanthic	Xanthous	Xenoglossic
Xanthochromatic	Xany	Xenophobic
Xanthogenic	Xaroncharoo	Xerarch

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With Y

Yappy	Yellow	Yummy
Youthful	Yawning	Yester
Yearly	Yearlong	Yearning
Yielding	Yucky	Yare
Young	Yankee	Yeasty

List Of Common Adjectives That Start With Z

Zealless	Zabian	Zestful
Zany	Zealous	Zesty
Zapping	Zen	Zigzag
Zappy	Zeolitic	Zillion
Zatfig	Zero	Zillionth

List of Opposite Adjectives

Certainly! Here is a list of opposites, often referred to as antonyms:

1. Big – Small
2. Tall – Short
3. Fast – Slow
4. Happy – Sad
5. Hot – Cold
6. Good – Bad
7. Old – Young
8. Bright – Dull
9. Hard – Soft
10. Strong – Weak
11. Heavy – Light
12. Rich – Poor
13. Wide – Narrow
14. Full – Empty
15. Brave – Cowardly
16. Long – Short
17. Clean – Dirty
18. Noisy – Quiet
19. Thick – Thin
20. High – Low

Positive Adjectives & Negative Adjectives List

List of Common Positive Adjectives

Happy	Compassionate	Creative
Generous	Wise	Joyful
Kind	Honest	Grateful
Brave	Trustworthy	Humble
Confuse	Loyal	Optimistic

 Negative Adjectives

Terrible	Bad	Sad
Ugly	Stupid	Annoying
Nasty	Dirty	Horrible
Angry	Rude	Gross
Boring	Awful	Dull

Related Resources:

Grammar

• Conjunction
• Verbs
• Adverbs
• Adjectives
• Nouns
• Pronouns
• Interjections

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Q: What are 10 examples of an adjective?

A) Big, small, tall, short, fast, slow, happy, sad, old, young.

Q: What are adjectives with examples?

A) Adjectives modify nouns, providing details or qualities. Examples: “beautiful sunset,” “tall building,” and “happy children.”

Q: What are 20 examples of adjectives?

A) Big, small, tall, short, fast, slow, happy, sad, hot, cold, good, bad, old, young, bright, dull, hard, soft, strong, weak.

Q: Which are adjective words?

A) Adjective words describe nouns or pronouns. They add details, qualities, or characteristics to enhance understanding of a sentence.

Q: What’s a proper adjective?

A) A proper adjective is derived from a proper noun, indicating origin or association. It capitalizes on the qualities of a specific entity, enhancing precision in description.

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