reference word lists

Hello, everyone! I will be starting a new series that will help you the writers describe emotions.

This guide will be a writer’s tool to characters expression.

This section comes from The Emotional Thesaurus by Ackerman and Puglisi.

Adoration

Definition: the act of worship; to view as divine.

Note: the subject of adoration can be a person or thing

Physical Signs:

Lips parting

A slack or soft expression

Waking quickly to erase distance

Mimicking body language

Touching one’s mouth or face

Reaching out to brush, touch or grasp

Steady eye contact, large pupils

Leaning forward

Stroking one’s own neck or arm as a surrogate

Pointing one’s torsos and feet towards the subject

A flushed appearance

Nodding while the subject speaks

Smiling

Open body posture

Releasing an appreciative sigh

Laying hand over the heart

Frequently moistening lips

Pressing palms lightly against the cheeks

Skimming fingertips along the jaw lines

Eyes that are bright

Agreement

Speaking praise and compliments

Keeping trinkets, pictures of the subject

Constantly talking about the subject to others

Rapt attention, still posture

Becoming unaware of one’s environment

A radiant glow

Visible shakiness

Reduced blinking

Closing eyes to savor moment

Speak with a soft voice

A voice that cracks with emotion

Internal Sensations

Quickening heartbeat

Breathlessness

Feeling one’s pulse in throat

Mouth dry

Throat growing thick

Rising body temperature

Tingling nerve endings

Mental Responses

A desire to move closer or watch

Fixating one’s thoughts on the subject

Acute listening and observation

Ignoring distractions

An inability to see the subjects flaws or faults

Cues of Acute or Long-Term Adoration

Obsession

Fantasizing

Believing that the feelings are mutual

A sense of destiny

Stalking

Writing and sending letter, emails, and gifts

Taking risks or breaking laws to be near or with subject

Weight loss

Poor sleep patterns

Jealousy towards those interacting with the subject

Taking on traits or mannerisms of the subject

Carrying something that represents the subject

Possessiveness

May Escalate To:

Love

Desire

Frustration

Hurt

Cues of Suppressed Adoration:

Clenching or hiding one’s hands to hide sweating or shaking

Avoiding conversations about the subject

Watching or observing from afar

Staying out of subjects proximity

Blushing

Sneaking looks at subject

Creating chance run ins

Writing secret letters, keeping diary

Lying about one’s feelings regarding the subject

Writer’s Tip:

Body cues should create a strong mental picture. If the movement is too drawn out or complicated, the emotional meaning behind the gesture may be lost.

They… Grimaced. Shrugged. Frowned. Scrunched their nose. Yawned. Fiddled with a loose thread on their sleeve. Ran a hand through their hair. Worried/bit/licked their lips. Hummed. Replied with a rather rude hand gesture. Picked at a hangnail. Gingerly grazed a finger down the length of so-and-so's arm, avoiding their gaze like it would burn. Farted. Kicked a stone. Twirled a lock of hair. Twirled somebody else's lock of hair. Twirled a lock of hair on the disembodied head they'd just plopped onto the dinner table. Stuffed their hands into their pockets. Stuffed their hands into the open cavity at the neck of this dang disembodied head on the table. Feigned interest in their phone. Flipped a page. Flipped the table. Flipped the script and escaped the pages. I repeat, the character has escaped and is in the real world. God have mercy on us all. Pissed themselves.

Their… Shoulders sagged. Brows knit/furrowed. Muscles tensed, tightening and locking up like a key twisting in a rusty lock. (Did you just repeat lock twice in the same sentence? Ew). Muscles relaxed, tension spilling from their skin and pooling like blood at their feet. Stomach dropped. Heart beat slower and slower until it ceased to beat at all, which, frankly, is going to be an issue if they hoped to carry on this conversation. Heart beat faster and faster and faster and faster and faster and wouldn't slow down, aw, shit, please, just slow the fuck down…

And lastly: nothing! Don't write anything. Don't say the character does anything. Not blinking, not sighing, not grimacing, or shrugging. Frankly, you'd be surprised at how little of these small reactions you really do need to write. Allow your readers' imagination to fill in the gaps. Isn't that also part of the fun of reading?

⟨Appearance Adjectives⟩

「height / stature / size」

tall - very tall, quite tall, six feet tall, long, high, big, colossal, gigantic, huge, immense.

short - not very tall, petite, low-set, compact, little, small, squat, tiny, miniature.

medium - average height, middle height, half tall, half short.

「weight / skin」

thin - quite thin, slim, slender, skinny.

fat - medium-build, overweight, rounded, chubby, corpulent.

skin - pale, pallid, light, dark, tanned, olive, white, brown, rosy.

shape - broad, crooked, curved, flat, narrow, round, square, wide, massive, straight.

「hair / eyes」

color - dark, black, red, brown, blond, chestnut brown, white, gray, blue, green, light-blue, dark-gray, grayish-blue, amber, caramel.

style - long, short, medium-length, shoulder-length, afro, asymmetric cut, beehive, bob cut, bowl cut, bunches, buzz cut, cropped, curtained hair, dreadlocks, fringe/bangs, hime cut, pixie cut.

hairdo - straight, curly, wavy, thick, thinning, bald, shiny, smooth, neatly combed, dull, tousled, disheveled, ponytail, braid, updo, bun.

「age」

young - kid, baby, toddler, newborn, preteen, teenage, teen, junior, minor, infant, tween, youngsters.

old - elderly, older, mature, senior, experienced, middle-aged, adult, grown up. 

number - twenty years old, in her thirties, about forty.

「mind」

intelligent - broad-minded, sharp, keen, bright, quick, agile, wise, clever, smart, precocious, gifted, witty, ingenious, savvy. 

stupid - narrow-minded, silly, foolish, idiot, fool, ignorant, slow, dumb, dull, brainless, dummy, moron, imbecile, uncultured.

「character」

friendly - pleasant personality, good-tempered, good-natured, easy-going, sociable, outgoing, extroverted, energetic.

independent - strong, tough, mature, autonomous, self-confident, self-reliant, self-sufficient.

honest - dependable, reliable, trustworthy, reasonable, sensible, honorable, sincere, direct, downright, truthful.

disciplined - organized, hard-working, careful, prudent, cautious.

modest - shy, timid, wary, humble.

observant - attentive, alert, perceptive, insightful, thoughtful, considerate.

humorous - amusing, funny, comical, laughable.

generous - unselfish, kind, kind-hearted, gentle, benevolent, sympathetic, tolerant, helpful, careful.

interesting - fascinating, exciting, entertaining, stimulating. 

elegant - exquisite, graceful, refined, fine, tasteful, neat, high-class, fancy, glamorous, dressy, magnificent, important, powerful, famous, rich.

beautiful - attractive, gorgeous, handsome, ravishing, pleasing, glorious, splendid, goddess, god-like, pretty, beauty, resplendent, fine, stunning, good-looking.

adorable - lovable, lovely, sensitive, adorable,sweet, angelical, angelic, cute, precious.

glowing -  shiny, vivacious, sparkling, twinkle, shining, vibrant, radiating.

code - formal, official, informal, relaxed, casual, old-fashioned.

hostile - aggressive, violent, offensive, hateful, bitter, ferocious, furious, savage, fierce, bloody, grotesque, boorish.

unfriendly - unsociable, bad-tempered, pushy, selfish, egotistical, inconsiderate, arrogant, moody, stubborn, imprudent, stingy, miserly, snobbish . 

dishonest - unreliable,  unreasonable, unpredictable, irresponsible,  impulsive, greedy, dull, undisciplined, disorganized, careless, greedy.

strange - odd, weird, eccentric, crazy, clumsy.

boring - tedious, tiresome, uninteresting, wearisome.

emotional - moody, melancholic, touchy, mushy.

➥ Vocabulary Tips Masterlist

Words to use instead of “very” 🌿

Corybantic – frenzied; agitated; unrestrained

Divagate – to wanter; stray

Circumlocution – a roundabout or indirect way or speaking; using more words than necessary

Progenitor – ancestor

Ideate – imagine

Ophidian – of, relating to, or denoting snakes

Lambent – playing lightly on or over a surface; flickering

Disenthrall – free; liberate

Ambrosial – exceptionally pleasing to taste or smell; delicious; fragrant

So if you’re a dm like me, you probably want to be relatively skilled in some typical fantasy accents for your game to make things feel that much more real. So i’ve decided to throw together a little master post of “how to” videos on some various accents. This is mostly for my own reference, but if you’d like to save this for yourself too, go right ahead. Feel free to add on to this, as well!

General Accent Tips

How To Learn Any Accent (1)

How To Learn Any Accent (2)

How To Do 12 Different Accents

US/UK/Aussie English Vocabulary Differences

One Woman, 17 British Accents

How To Lose Your Native Accent

How To Learn A Different Accent

Fun Tour of American Accents

Scottish

Scottish In Under 2 Minutes

How to Speak With A Scottish Accent

HOW TO DO A SCOTTISH ACCENT

Speaking Scottish 101

Scottish Slang

Gerard Butler Teaches You Scottish Slang

Scottish Insults

English or “British”

How To Do A British Accent

3 Ways to Sound More British

HOW TO DO A BRITISH ACCENT CONVINCINGLY (1)

HOW TO DO A BRITISH ACCENT CONVINCINGLY (2)

HOW TO DO A BRITISH ACCENT CONVINCINGLY (3)

Henry Cavill and Simon Pegg Teach You English Slang 

French

How To Speak With A French Accent 

How To Do A French Accent In UNDER TWO MINUTES

Tips on how to do a French Accent

French Accent Tip

Irish

How to do an Irish Accent

How To Do An Irish Accent

How To Do An Irish Accent

Guide to Irish Accents

How To Do An Irish Accent In UNDER TWO MINUTES

Russian

How To Speak With A Russian Accent 

How to Do a Russian Accent | Accent Training

How to speak with a Russian Accent

How Russians Speak English

How To Do A Russian Accent 

German

How To Have A German Accent 

How to do a GERMAN ACCENT?

Get the Perfect German ACCENT

Me speaking in 12 GERMAN DIALECTS!

How To Do A German Accent

5 Steps to a perfect German Accent

Canadian

How To Do A Canadian Accent

All aboot Canadian accents

How To Speak Canadian, Without Knowing How!!

Is There A Canadian Accent?

1. Interesting- note worthy; thought-provoking; fascinating; attracting; appealing; attention-grabbing; captivating; gripping; invigorating; engrossing; engaging; electrifying.  

2. Beautiful- striking; stunning; magnificent; lovely; charming; gorgeous; radiant; dazzling.

3. Good- acceptable, wonderful, exceptional; positive; brilliant; first-rate; notable; stellar; favorable; superb; marvellous; prime.

4. Bad- awful; lousy; poor; unacceptable; crummy; dreadful; rough; inferior; substandard; atrocious; appalling; dreadful; defective.

5. Look- glance; fixate; observe; stare; gaze; peer; scan; watch; study; browse; eye; glimpse; review; inspect.

6. Nice- lovely; superior; pleasant; satisfying; delightful; likeable; agreeable; correct; adequate; swell; fair; okay; approved.

7. Very- extremely; exceedingly; exceptionally; immensely; tremendously; abundantly; particularly; remarkably.

8. Fine- satisfactory; worthy; respectable; exquisite; suitable; well; imposing; decent; admirable; praise-worthy; decent.

9. Happy- cheerful; delighted; pleased; content; amused; thrilled; elated; thrilled; ecstatic; on cloud 9. 

10. Really- genuinely; truly; honestly; actually; undoubtedly; certainly; remarkably; incredibly; downright; unquestionably; extremely.

11. Sad- miserable; gloomy; devastated; down at heard; distraught; distressed; dispirited; sorrowful; downcast; feeling blue; desolate.

12. Big- massive; huge; giant; gigantic; enormous; large; colossal; immense; bulky; tremendous; hefty; sizable; extensive; great; substantial. 

13. Shocked- taken aback; lost for words; flabbergasted; staggered; outraged; astonished; astounded; stunned; speechless; appalled.

14. Small- tiny; petite; mini; miniature; microscopic; minuscule; compact; pocket-sized; cramped; puny; undersized; limited; meager; modest; minute; pint-sized. 

15. Angry- irate; enraged; touchy; cross; resentful; indignant; infuriated; wound-up; worked-up; seething; raging; heated; bitter; bad-tempered; offended; frustrated. 

16. Know- understand; comprehend; realize; learn; perceive; recognize; grasp; sense.

17. Change- alter; transform; replace; diversify; adjust; adapt; modify; remodel; vary; evolve; transfigure; redesign; refashion; advance; transition; shift; adjustment.

18. Old- aged; ancient; matured; elderly; senior; veteran; decrepit; seasoned; venerable; past one’s prime; doddering; senile.

19. Think- ponder; reflect; conceive; imagine; contemplate; consider; determine; realize; visualize; guess/assume; conclude; envision. 

20. Funny- comical; ludicrous; amusing; droll; entertaining; absurd; hilarious; silly; whimsical; hysterical; joking; witty; facetious; slapstick; side-splitting; knee-slapping.

21. Go- move; proceed; advance; progress; travel; walk; journey; depart; exit; flee; make one’s way; clear out; get underway.

22. Give- grant; donate; hand-out; present; provide; deliver; hand over; offer; award; bestow; supply with; contribute to; send; entrust.

23. Get- acquire; obtain; receive; gain; earn; gather; collect; buy; purchase; attain; score; secure; take possession of; grab.

24. Easy- effortless; simple; clear; smooth; straightforward; uncomplicated; painless; accessible; apparent; basic; plain; child’s play; facile; elementary; cinch. 

I really love words. I love small words and big words. I love words that sound funny and ones I can barely pronounce. As a reader and a writer, I think it is so vastly important that we try to broaden our vocabulary and actively learn new words. There are so many words out there that you never hear in conversation and ones you rarely even see in a book. So, I made a list of words that I have come across recently that I don’t see or hear very often. I’m not saying to go overboard and substitute every single word with something different. I’m only suggesting that these words need a little love too.

ameliorate (v.): to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory

anthophilous (adj.): attracted by or living among flowers

antipathy (n.): a natural, basic, or habitual repugnance (2) an instinctive contrariety or opposition in feeling; strong dislike

atemporal (adj.): free from limitations of time

attenuate (v.): to weaken or reduce in force (2) to make thin

beguile (v.): to influence by trickery, flattery, etc. (2) to charm or divert

bonce (n.): head; skull

clandestine (adj.): characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment

claque (n.): a group of persons hired to applaud an act or performer

credulous (adj.): willing to believe or trust too readily, especially without proper or adequate evidence; gullible 

doleful (adj.): sorrowful; mournful; melancholy

egress (n.): the act or an instance of going (2) a means or place of going out; an exit

embullient (adj.): overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement

enjambment (n.): the running on of the thought from one line, couplet, or stanza without a syntactical break

ethereal (adj.): light, airy, or tenuous (2) extremely delicate or refined (3) heavenly

eurhythmic (adj.): characterized by a pleasing rhythm; harmoniously ordered 

extraneous (adj.): introduced or coming from without; not belonging or proper to a thing; external; foreign (2) not pertinent; irrelevant 

fortitudinous (adj.): marked by bravery or courage; having or showing fortitude

gobsmacked (adj.): utterly astounded; astonished 

idyllic (adj.): suitable for or suggestive of an idyll; charmingly simple or rustic

ineffable (adj.): incapable of being expressed or described in words

kerfuffle (n.): a fuss; commotion 

macaronic (adj.): composed of a mixture of languages

mellifluous (adj.): sweetly or smoothly flowing; sweet-sounding 

mollycoddle (v.): to coddle; pamper

musette (n.): a small leather or canvas bag with a shoulder strap, used for carrying personal belongings (2) a woodwind instrument similar to but smaller than a shawm

obfuscate (v.): to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy

pneumatic (adj.): of or relating to air, gases, or wind

preta (n.): a wandering or disturbed ghost

psychomancy (n.): occult communication between souls or with spirits

scintillate (v.): to emit sparks (2) to sparkle; flash

tendentious (adj.): having or showing a definite tendency 

ululate (v.): to howl, as a dog or a wolf; hoot, as an owl (2) to lament loudly and shrilly

vulpine (adj.): of or resembling a fox

wastrel (n.): a wasteful person

Here’s a list of words I’ve collected (from Tumblr) over the past few weeks while working to improve my writing. I hope this list helps if you’re struggling to find a replacement word for very!

deafening 

frequently

ancient

archaic

transparent

excruciating

ashen

destitute

flawless

compelling

beautiful

rapid

hushed

pouring

wealthy

sorrowful

petrified

chilling

keen

grave

gleaming

brief

timid

basic

awfully

chiefly

clearly

completely

deeply

dreadfully

enormously

especially

exceedingly

exceptionally

extraordinarily

extremely

evidently

fantastically

greatly

infinitely

immeasurably

immensely 

incredibly

intensely

mainly

notably

obviously

outstandingly

particularly

remarkably

seriously

significantly

tremendously

uniquely

unusually

vastly

Bosky - densely wooded

Knoll - a mound or small hill

Glade - a forest clearing

Noctivagant - wandering in the night

Beck - a stream 

Dene - a wooded valley

Pirr - a gentle wind

Offing - the sea bellow the horizon

Heathy - heathery

「voice」

say -  speak, utter, pronounce, give voice to, declare, state, announce, tell.

answer -  reply, respond, retort, sass, react.

ask - request, demand, solicit, seek, call for, beg.

whisper -  murmur, mutter, mumble, speak softly, breathe, hiss, susurrate.

yell - cry out, call out, shout, howl, scream, shriek, screech, yelp, squeal, roar, utter, exclaim.

sing - treble, harmonise, croon, utter, choir, vocalize, quaver, intone, intonate, harmonize, descant on, hum, vocalise, warble, chirp, chant, sing along.

laugh - chuckle, crack up, cackle, giggle, guffaw.

mock - deride, scoff at, sneer at, make fun of, poke fun at.

「move」

walk - stroll, saunter, amble, trudge, plod, dawdle, hike, tramp, tromp, slog, stomp, step.

run - sprint, race, rush, dash, hasten, hurry, jog, speed.

drag - haul, pull, tug, yank, force.

jump - leap, hop, skip.

dance - sway, whirl, pirouette, gyrate, boogie, shake a leg, belly dance, tap dance, foxtrot, twist, tap dance, mambo, disco, conga, samba, square dance, boogie, tango, bump, grind, kick, waltz, break-dance, waltz around, quickstep, shake, twerk, wiggle.

「face」

frown - scowl, glare, grimace, make a face, look daggers, give someone a black look.

observe - look at, observe, view, gaze at, stare at, contemplate, glance at, watch, keep an eye on, keep under observation, make eyes at, have/take a gander at, check out, size up, behold.

wink - blink, flutter, bat.

smile - beam, grin, smile from ear to ear, dimple, twinkle, smirk, smile smugly, simper, snicker, snigger.

cry - weep, mourn, wail, burst into tears, snuffle, sob, sniffle, blub, tear, bawl, pule, snivel, whimper, mewl, blubber, weep, wail.

「violence」

fight - exchange blows, attack each other, assault each other, hit each other, punch each other, struggle, grapple, wrestle, scrap, have a set-to, roughhouse, engage in fisticuffs, battle.

punch - inverted punch, uppercut, jab, cross, front punch, kumite bunch, concussion strike, hook, bolo punch, and my favorite, the haymaker. 

hand strike - backfist, tiger mouth, tiger claw, thumbknuckle, snakehand, palm smash/palm heel, inside outside down back hammer fists, 2 and 4 finger eye strikes, single interknuckle strike, middle interknuckle strike, inter knuckle (4 finger) strike, inside outside shuto, spear hand, uppercut wrist strikes (usually to the jaw and temple).

kick - snapping front, Teep, snapping side, breaking side, back kick, spinning side kick, 3 variations of roundhouse (striking with the chin (breaking roundhouse) striking with the instep, striking with the ball of the foot). Inside and outside Crescent, Axe kick, Stomp, butterfly, half moon (inside, outside) heel rake.

elbow - 12-6 elbow (Down elbow) uppercut elbow, 45 degree uppercut angle, 45 degree downward angle, inside elbow, outside elbow, rear elbow, lunge elbow.

knees - uppercut knee, drop knee, thrust knee, roundhouse knee, inside knee slap, outside knee slap.

➥ Vocabulary Tips Masterlist

「sensations」

pain - distress, burning, sting, smarting, colic, agony, soreness, growing pains, aching, torment, hurting, torture, throb, burn, suffering, ache.

pleasure - pleasance, enjoyment, comfort, delectation, delight.

hunger -  starvation, hungriness, famishment, lack of food, malnutrition, famine.

thirst - thirstiness, dryness, dehydration.

cold - frigidness, coolness, iciness, cool, frostiness, coldness, chilliness, nip, gelidity, frigidity, low temperature, chill.

heat - warmness, torridity, hotness, high temperature, calefaction, fieriness, white heat, warmth, incalescence, hot weather, warm weather.

tiredness - fatigue, weariness, exhaustion, burnout, enervation, inertia, sleepiness, drowsiness, somnolence.

excitement -  exhilaration, elation, animation, enthusiasm, eagerness, anticipation, feverishness.

hurry - rush, haste, flurry, hustle and bustle, commotion, race, precipitateness, abruptness, speed, suddenness, precipitance, hurriedness, hastiness, precipitation, swiftness, fastness.

slowness - delay, lag, holdup, slowdown, slowing, modification, deceleration.

「 scenario」

place - point, area, zone, spot, location, position, region, locale.

house - dwelling, habitation, home, farmhouse, mansion, duplex, porch, chalet, loft, cottage, building, residence, edifice, bungalow.

garden - yard, terrace, patio, grounds.

street - boulevard, road, thoroughfare, alley, alleyway, avenue.

forest - wood(s), trees, bush, plantation, jungle.

hospital - infirmary, medical center, health center, clinic, sanatorium, field hospital, health facility, hospital ward, medical building.

office - bureau, cabinet, agency.

restaurant - tearoom, canteen, cafeteria, coffee shop, coffee bar, bistro, lunchroom, teashop, diner, steakhouse, coffeehouse, cafe, pub.

「objects」

car - carriage, vehicle, automobile, machine.

motorcycle - bike, motorbike.

cup - glass, chalice, mug, 

drink - liquid, content, net, alcohol, coffee, tea, juice, water, soda, beer, wine, champagne, vodka, milk, chocolate.

clothing - knitwear, sleepwear, garment, garb, dress, wearable, outerwear, accouterment, nightwear, nightclothes, uniform, attire, raiment, apparel, clothes.

knob - door handle, door knob, pommel, handle.

gun - weapon, armament, pistol, shotgun, rifle, automatic.

footwear - shoe, heel, sneaker, tennis, sandal, boot, flipper.

「human body」

head - face, temple, forehead, eye, pupil, iris, bridge of the nose, nose, nostril, cheek, lip, gum, tongue, tooth, mouth, chin, jaw.

torso - chest, abdomen, breast, shoulder.

neck - throat, Adam’s apple, nape, back of his/her/your/its neck.

arm - wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, armpit.

hand - thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, palm.

back - shoulder blades, lower back, hip, waist, butt.

leg - thigh, knee, calf, ankle.

foot - achilles tendon, toes, heel, sole.

「weapons」

revolvers - 44 magnum, 45 long colt, 357 magnum, 38 special, 41 magnum.

pistols - 30 carbine, 45 winchester magnum, 45 acp, 22 long rifle, 9x19mm parabellum.

assault rifles - Adaptive Combat Rifle, ADS amphibious rifle, AEK-971, AK-47, AMD-65, M4 carbine.

knives - dagger, poniard, broadsword, stiletto, rapier, saber, katana, axe, switchblade.

➥ Vocabulary Tips Masterlist

⟨Feelings Adjectives⟩

「positive」

nice - agreeable, pleasant, enjoyable, pleasing, pleasurable, good, comfortable, cozy, comfy, homely, delightful.

brave - bold, brave, courageous, fearless, valiant, gallant, braveness, nerve.

calm -  tranquility, quiet, peace, ease, quietness, quietly, peaceful, pacifist, pacific, passive, amicable.

gentle - kind, mild, soft, quiet, light, docile, smooth, tender, delicate, sensitive.

eager -  impatient, enthusiastic, anxious, overeager, raring,  longing, wishful, impatient.

happy -  glad, fortunate, blissful, joyous, delighted, contented, euphoric, cheerful, bright, cheery, beamish, jolly, lively.

obedient - submissive, compliant, docile, conformable, manipulable. 

proud - braggy, prideful, proud of overproud, boastful, immodest, chesty, arrogant, pleased, braggart.

relieved - alleviated, eased, glad, thankful.

silly - sappy, foolish, lightheaded, frivolous, airheaded, goofy, stupid, dumb.

victorious - triumphant, successful, prosperous, undefeated.

hungry - famished, starved, thirsty, dry.

clean - washed, unstained, tidy, dry-cleaned, fresh, scrubbed, water-washed, pure, purity, virginal, plain, unmixed, sheer, unadulterated, pureness.

「negative」

angry - maddened, enraged, ireful, angered, furious, choleric, infuriated, mad, nervous, stormy, livid, outraged, indignant, grumpy, fierce, violent.

panicky - worried, scary, scared, afraid, terrified, disturbed, frightned, afflicted, troubled, concerned.

bewildered - stunned, amazed, astonished, surprised, puzzled, perplexed, confused, dumbfounded, haunted.

clumsy -  clumsy, awkward, uncoordinated, graceless, inelegant, inept, maladroit, unskillful.

embarrassed - ashamed, mortfied, humiliated, sheepish, red-faced, blushing, blushful, discomposed, rosy.

repulsive - obnoxious, itchy, detestable, offensive, obscene, repugnant, hideous.

sad - sorrowful, bittersweet, melancholic, tragical, wistful, tragic, mournful, paiful, unhappy, distressing, upset, distressed

jealous - envious, overjealous.

thoughtless - unconsidered, inconsiderate, reckless, giddy, rash, sloppy, unwary, 

tense -  uptight, edgy, nervy, overstrung, highly strung, strained.

filthy - unclean, dirty, messy, putrid, stinking, grubby, squalid, nasty, disgusting, unpleasant, distasteful, decadent, indulgent, dusty.

dangerous - alarming, critical, fatal, formidable, malignant, menacing, mortal, nasty, perilous, precarious, pressing, serious, terrible, threatening, treacherous, urgent, damaging, deadly, death-defying, deathly, destructive, detrimental, harmful, hazardous, injurious, lethal, life-threatening, noxious, poisonous, risky, severe, toxic, unsafe, unstable, venomous.

⟨Sound Adjectives⟩ 

loud - deafening, noisy, screeching, thundering, hissing.

melodic - honeyed, melodious, sweetish, sweet.

quiet - voiceless, whispering, faint, inaudible, soft.

husky - raspy, gravelly, rough, scratchy, hoarse, thick.  

⟨Taste Adjectives⟩

bitter - tart.

delicious - fresh, greasy, nutritious, yummy.

hot - warm, heated, melted.

icy - cold, frozen.

rotten - burnt. 

salty - salted, briny, brackish, corned

strong -  vigorous, consistent, corpulent.

sweet - sugary, honeyed, dulcet, mellifluous, bland.

tasteless - insipid, flavorless, flavourless, vapid, flat.

⟨Quantity Adjectives⟩

abundant - many, numerous,  plentiful, ample, profuse, rich, generous, large, huge, great, overflowing, in plenty, in abundance.

full - filled, filled up, filled to capacity, filled to the brim, brimming, brimful, occupied.

empty - vacant, unoccupied, uninhabited, untenanted, bare, desolate, deserted, abandoned.

few - sparse,  a small number, a handful, one or two, a couple, two or three, not many, hardly any.

substantial - considerable, significant, important, notable, major, valuable.

⟨Time Adjectives⟩

ancient - old, advanced in years, up in years, long.

brief - quick, rapid, short, swift, fast, sudden, immediate, instant, instantaneous, abrupt, hasty, hurried.

early - untimely, premature, unseasonable, before time.

late - behind schedule, behind time, behindhand, tardy, running late, overdue, belated, delayed.

➥ Vocabulary Tips Masterlist

⟨Appearance Adjectives⟩

「height / stature / size」

tall - very tall, quite tall, six feet tall, long, high, big, colossal, gigantic, huge, immense.

short - not very tall, petite, low-set, compact, little, small, squat, tiny, miniature.

medium - average height, middle height, half tall, half short.

「weight / skin」

thin - quite thin, slim, slender, skinny.

fat - medium-build, overweight, rounded, chubby, corpulent.

skin - pale, pallid, light, dark, tanned, olive, white, brown, rosy.

shape - broad, crooked, curved, flat, narrow, round, square, wide, massive, straight.

「hair / eyes」

color - dark, black, red, brown, blond, chestnut brown, white, gray, blue, green, light-blue, dark-gray, grayish-blue, amber, caramel.

style - long, short, medium-length, shoulder-length, afro, asymmetric cut, beehive, bob cut, bowl cut, bunches, buzz cut, cropped, curtained hair, dreadlocks, fringe/bangs, hime cut, pixie cut.

hairdo - straight, curly, wavy, thick, thinning, bald, shiny, smooth, neatly combed, dull, tousled, disheveled, ponytail, braid, updo, bun.

「age」

young - kid, baby, toddler, newborn, preteen, teenage, teen, junior, minor, infant, tween, youngsters.

old - elderly, older, mature, senior, experienced, middle-aged, adult, grown up. 

number - twenty years old, in her thirties, about forty.

「mind」

intelligent - broad-minded, sharp, keen, bright, quick, agile, wise, clever, smart, precocious, gifted, witty, ingenious, savvy. 

stupid - narrow-minded, silly, foolish, idiot, fool, ignorant, slow, dumb, dull, brainless, dummy, moron, imbecile, uncultured.

「character」

friendly - pleasant personality, good-tempered, good-natured, easy-going, sociable, outgoing, extroverted, energetic.

independent - strong, tough, mature, autonomous, self-confident, self-reliant, self-sufficient.

honest - dependable, reliable, trustworthy, reasonable, sensible, honorable, sincere, direct, downright, truthful.

disciplined - organized, hard-working, careful, prudent, cautious.

modest - shy, timid, wary, humble.

observant - attentive, alert, perceptive, insightful, thoughtful, considerate.

humorous - amusing, funny, comical, laughable.

generous - unselfish, kind, kind-hearted, gentle, benevolent, sympathetic, tolerant, helpful, careful.

interesting - fascinating, exciting, entertaining, stimulating. 

elegant - exquisite, graceful, refined, fine, tasteful, neat, high-class, fancy, glamorous, dressy, magnificent, important, powerful, famous, rich.

beautiful - attractive, gorgeous, handsome, ravishing, pleasing, glorious, splendid, goddess, god-like, pretty, beauty, resplendent, fine, stunning, good-looking.

adorable - lovable, lovely, sensitive, adorable,sweet, angelical, angelic, cute, precious.

glowing -  shiny, vivacious, sparkling, twinkle, shining, vibrant, radiating.

code - formal, official, informal, relaxed, casual, old-fashioned.

hostile - aggressive, violent, offensive, hateful, bitter, ferocious, furious, savage, fierce, bloody, grotesque, boorish.

unfriendly - unsociable, bad-tempered, pushy, selfish, egotistical, inconsiderate, arrogant, moody, stubborn, imprudent, stingy, miserly, snobbish . 

dishonest - unreliable,  unreasonable, unpredictable, irresponsible,  impulsive, greedy, dull, undisciplined, disorganized, careless, greedy.

strange - odd, weird, eccentric, crazy, clumsy.

boring - tedious, tiresome, uninteresting, wearisome.

emotional - moody, melancholic, touchy, mushy.

➥ Vocabulary Tips Masterlist