Adjectives to describe a person

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There are many adjectives to describe a person in English. We use them to talk about how someone looks, acts, feels, thinks, and many more. You should use them carefully as they can offend someone.

What are personality adjectives?

Personality adjectives describe a person’s character, the way people behave and interact with others. For example, if someone does not want to work most of the time, we can say that they are lazy.

Adjectives to describe a person

Nice words to describe someone

Do you want to say something nice to someone you love? The list below contains positive adjectives to describe a person. To help you use them in sentences, here are some examples to inspire you. You can add adverbs of degree to intensify them.

1. You’re the most affectionate person I’ve ever known.
2. You're so adorable. I love you so much.
3. I feel safe with him. He is such a caring person.
4. My son is incredibly smart.

Positive adjectives to describe person - PDF
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Descriptive words for physical appearance

General appearance

1. beautiful
2. handsome
3. attractive
4. pretty
5. gorgeous
6. ugly
7. tall
8. medium-height
9. short
10. slim
11. slender
12. thin
13. fat
14. overweight
15. thin
16. petite
17. muscular

Hair

1. long
2. short
3. medium-length
4. blonde
5. brunette
6. straight
7. curly
8. wavy
9. bald

Eyes

1. blue
2. brown
3. green
4. bright
5. beautiful

Face

1. round
2. oval
3. square
4. freckled
5. wrinkled

Describing emotions

1. happy
2. sad
3. angry
4. excited
5. tired
6. scared
7. surprised
8. confused
9. worried
10. calm
11. nervous
12. annoyed
13. frustrated
14. embarrassed
15. jealous
16. grateful
17. hopeful
18. disappointed
19. proud
20. shy
21. confident
22. guilty
23. ashamed
24. bored
25. curious
26. energetic
27. relieved
28. loving
29. overwhelmed

Characters

1. generous
2. kind
3. stingy
4. arrogant
5. polite
6. impolite
7. lazy
8. rude
9. stupid
10. foolish
11. unreliable
12. pessimistic
13. optimistic
14. timid
15. honest
16. dishonest
17. sincere
18. insincere
19. trustworthy
20. untrustworthy
21. cruel
22. reliable
23. mean
24. sociable
25. unsociable
26. sympathetic
27. unsympathetic
28. fair
29. unfair
30. just
31. unjust
32. loyal
33. courageous
34. bold
35. adventurous
36. fearless
37. brave
38. cheerful
39. bright
40. patient
41. imaginative
42. modest
43. wise
44. corteous
45. compassionate
46. friendly
47. reserved
48. clumsy

Skills

1. intelligent
2. skilled
3. talented
4. capable
5. competent
6. proficient
7. expert
8. accomplished
9. creative
10. educated
11. knowledgeable
12. inventive
13. resourceful
14. educated
15. unskilled
16. incapable
17. incompetent
18. irrational
19. illogical
20. logical
21. uneducated
22. ignorant

Using adjectives cautiously

Be careful when using positive or negative adjectives to describe a person. Some descriptive words may seem normal in one culture but can sound offensive in another. For example, calling someone “fat” can be a hurtful remark. In addition, adjectives are based on personal opinions. Some people may think “quiet” is good, while others may see it as something bad.