Adjectives for Describing Appearance - Vocabulary & Grammar

adjectives to describe someone's appearance - Free Online English Lesson. Image credits: pixabay

A List of English adjectives that are used for describing people's looks and appearance.

  • attractive

  • a person who is good looking (male or female).

  • youthful (looks)

  • A person who looks young, or much younger than their actual age.

  • bald

  • a person who has no hair. Some bald people shave their heads.

  • beautiful

  • a person who is extremely good looking (mainly used to describe women).

  • blonde

  • a person who has yellow hair.

  • chubby

  • a polite way of describing someone who is a bit overweight.

  • curvy

  • a woman with a large bust, broad hips and a small waist.

  • fat

  • a very negative way to describe someone who is overweight (very rude and a bit insulting!).

  • fit

  • (1) someone who gets a lot of exercise and is very healthy.

  • (2) A very attractive person.

  • flabby

  • Used to describe someone who does not get much exercise, with poor muscle tone.

  • gorgeous

  • very attractive (used to describe men and women).

  • handsome

  • A man who is extremely good looking.

  • large

  • someone who is overweight (neutral).

  • muscular

  • someone who is very toned and has well defined muscles.

  • obese

  • Used to describe someone who is very fat (impolite).

  • plump

  • a tactful way of describing someone who is overweight (mainly British English).

  • ordinary

  • somebody who is very plain, or average looking; not especially beautiful.

  • plain

  • Somebody who is very ordinary-looking; a person with average looks.

  • presentable

  • Smart, clean and well dressed.

    • redhead

  • a person with orange hair.

  • scruffy

  • Used to describe someone whose appearance is very untidy.

    • shapely

  • Used to describe a curvy woman with a small waist.

  • short

  • Used to describe someone who isn't very tall.

  • skinny

  • Used to describe someone who is very thin (impolite).

  • slender

  • Used to describe a thin person who looks healthy.

  • smart

  • Used to describe someone who takes a lot of care over their appearance.

  • stocky

  • Used to describe people (especially men) who are broad and not very tall.

  • tall

  • Used to describe someone who is above average height.

  • tattooed

  • Used to describe people who have tattoos.

  • thin

  • Used to describe someone who weighs less than the average person (impolite!).

  • unkempt

  • Used to describe someone who looks scruffy and does not take care of their appearance.

  • well-built

  • someone whose body shape or size is bigger than the average person.

Important Note:

Be careful using negative adjectives when commenting on a person's appearance, as some people may be very offended by them!

In most situations it is safer to use a neutral or positive adjective (for example slender instead of thin, large instead of fat).

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