This my list of interesting words to describe people and events. None are mundane or over-used. Every person is
each of these at some time in their life, so use them to spark your imagination for the character you’re writing about.
- absent-minded
- active
- affable
- ambitious
- amiable
- animated
- annoyed
- argumentative
- arrogant
- attentive
- babyish
- bewildered
- blasé
- boorish
- bossy
- bossy
- busy
- candid
- capable
- care-free
- careful
- caustic
- cautious
- charismatic
- charming
- clever
- cold-hearted
- compassionate
- complacent
- conceited
- concerned
- confident
- confused
- considerate
- cooperative
- crafty
- cruel
- cultured
- curious
- daring
- decisive
- demanding
- dependable
- determined
- determined
- diligent
- discouraged
- dishonest
- disparaging
- disrespectful
- dissatisfied
- doubtful
- dutiful
- eager
- easygoing
- effervescent
- efficient
- embarrassed
- excited
- exuberant
- facetious
- fair
- fanciful
- fidgety
- fighter
- finicky
- frank
- fussy
- generous
- gentle
- giddy
- giving
- glum
- greedy
- gregarious
- grouchy
- grumpy
- hard-working
- hardy
- harried
- harsh
- hospitable
- humorous
- ill-bred
- immature
- impartial
- impolite
- impudent
- impulsive
- independent
- industrious
- inimitable
- insipid
- insistent
- insolent
- intelligent
- intrepid
- inventive
- jealous
- jovial
- lackadaisical
- languid
- leader
- lively
- logical
- loquacious
- lovable
- loyal
- lucky
- malicious
- mature
- naive
- negligent
- reckless
- relaxed
- resourceful
- restless
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. She is webmaster for six blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com and TeachHUB, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, Cisco guest blog,Technology in Education featured blogger, IMS tech expert, and a bi-monthly contributor to Today’s Author. In her free time, she is the editor of a K-8 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum, and creator of technology training books for how to integrate technology in education. Currently, she’s editing a thriller that should be out to publishers next summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.
Hey, that’s kinda cool. I really like the pic idea of choosing words for a character. I’m visual that way. Great blog! Thanks.
By: michellediane on February 18, 2010
at 3:39 pm
Thanks! Enjoy!
By: worddreams on February 18, 2010
at 4:10 pm
[...] One-Word Characteristics to Spice Up Your Writing [...]
By: What’s Trending on WordDreams « Jacqui Murray's WordDreams… on December 14, 2011
at 1:35 am
Dear Jacqui,
Thanks for the list of colourful adjectives! Just the thing to quickly add some flavour to a description of a character. Up on the wall they go.
By: Grant Crawford on June 5, 2012
at 1:55 pm
They inspire the imagination. thanks for visiting.
By: Jacqui Murray on June 5, 2012
at 7:18 pm
[...] One-Word Characteristics to Spice Up Your Writing–I am pleased this one’s so popular. It has a few gems [...]
By: 10 Hits and Misses for 2012 « Jacqui Murray's WordDreams… on January 15, 2013
at 12:16 am
[...] One-Word Characteristics to Spice Up Your Writing [...]
By: What’s Trending on WordDreams | Jacqui Murray's WordDreams... on April 24, 2013
at 12:51 am