top of page

150+ Adjectives to Describe a Person: Positive & Negative Adjectives

Updated: Nov 7

Good Adjectives To Describe A Person For Elementary Students


Learning to describe a person with good adjectives is a fantastic way for elementary students to enhance their vocabulary and express their observations and feelings more vividly. This blog post explores a variety of the best adjectives that elementary students can use to describe a person's qualities and traits, divided into positive adjectives and negative adjectives.



Positive Adjectives to Describe a Person: General / Good

  1. Adventurous

  2. Amiable

  3. Articulate

  4. Brave

  5. Bright

  6. Calm

  7. Candid

  8. Charismatic

  9. Charming

  10. Cheerful

  11. Considerate

  12. Courageous

  13. Creative

  14. Dauntless

  15. Diligent

  16. Dynamic

  17. Energetic

  18. Enthusiastic

  19. Exuberant

  20. Flexible

  21. Friendly

  22. Generous

  23. Gentle

  24. Graceful

  25. Hardworking

  26. Helpful

  27. Honest

  28. Humble

  29. Imaginative

  30. Innovative

  31. Insightful

  32. Intelligent

  33. Inventive

  34. Jolly

  35. Joyful

  36. Kind

  37. Loving

  38. Loyal

  39. Majestic

  40. Mature

  41. Neat

  42. Nurturing

  43. Observant

  44. Optimistic

  45. Outgoing

  46. Passionate

  47. Patient

  48. Pioneering

  49. Polite

  50. Precise

  51. Quick

  52. Radiant

  53. Reliable

  54. Resilient

  55. Resourceful

  56. Respectful

  57. Scholarly

  58. Sincere

  59. Spunky

  60. Thoughtful

  61. Vibrant

  62. Warm

  63. Whimsical

  64. Wise

  65. Witty

  66. Zesty


Adjectives to Describe a Happy Person

  • Joyful - Feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness.

  • Elated - Extremely happy and excited.

  • Ecstatic - Overwhelmed with joy and excitement.

  • Jubilant - Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.

  • Euphoric - Experiencing an intense state of happiness and excitement.

  • Radiant - Sending out light; shining or glowing with happiness.

  • Blissful - Extremely happy; full of joy.

  • Content - In a state of peaceful happiness.

  • Delighted - Feeling or showing great pleasure.

  • Exuberant - Filled with lively energy and excitement.

  • Cheerful - Noticeably happy and optimistic.

  • Buoyant - Cheerful and optimistic.

  • Mirthful - Full of merriment and laughter.

  • Overjoyed - Extremely happy.

  • Lighthearted - Cheerful and carefree.


Negative Adjectives to Describe a Person: General

  1. Afraid

  2. Annoying

  3. Anxious

  4. Arrogant

  5. Boastful

  6. Boring

  7. Careless

  8. Clumsy

  9. Cold

  10. Cowardly

  11. Defiant

  12. Dishonest

  13. Disloyal

  14. Disrespectful

  15. Dull

  16. Foolish

  17. Frivolous

  18. Glib

  19. Gloomy

  20. Greedy

  21. Grumpy

  22. Harsh

  23. Idle

  24. Immature

  25. Impatient

  26. Impolite

  27. Inaccurate

  28. Inconsiderate

  29. Insincere

  30. Lazy

  31. Mean

  32. Messy

  33. Moody

  34. Nasty

  35. Oblivious

  36. Pessimistic

  37. Picky

  38. Rigid

  39. Rough

  40. Rude

  41. Sad

  42. Shy

  43. Skeptical

  44. Slow

  45. Sullen

  46. Thoughtless

  47. Timid

  48. Uncreative

  49. Unenthusiastic

  50. Unfriendly

  51. Unhelpful

  52. Unimaginative

  53. Unloving

  54. Unmotivated

  55. Unreliable

  56. Vindictive

  57. Volatile

  58. Wary

  59. Wasteful


Adjectives to Describe a Mean Person

  • Rude - Not polite or respectful.

  • Unkind - Not nice or gentle to others.

  • Nasty - Very unpleasant or mean.

  • Cruel - Likes to hurt others or see them in pain.

  • Harsh - Rough or severe in manner or speech.

  • Selfish - Only cares about themselves and not others.

  • Bossy - Tells others what to do in a mean way.

  • Jealous - Feels unhappy because they want what someone else has.

  • Arrogant - Thinks they are better than everyone else.

  • Impulsive - Acts without thinking and often in a mean way.

  • Greedy - Wants more than they need, often at the expense of others.

  • Spiteful - Does things to hurt or upset others on purpose.

  • Mean-spirited - Has a nasty or unkind attitude.

  • Vindictive - Wants to get back at someone in a mean way.

  • Grumpy - Often in a bad mood and mean to others.

  • Malicious - Intending to do harm or hurt others.

  • Vindictive - Seeking revenge; wanting to hurt someone who has hurt you.

  • Spiteful - Showing a desire to harm or upset someone.

  • Contemptuous - Showing a lack of respect or disdain for others.

  • Malevolent - Having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

  • Nefarious - Wicked or criminal.

  • Abrasive - Harsh and showing little concern for others.

  • Callous - Insensitive and cruel disregard for others.

  • Hostile - Unfriendly and antagonistic.

  • Pernicious - Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.

  • Belligerent - Hostile and aggressive.

  • Tyrannical - Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way.

  • Derisive - Expressing contempt or ridicule.

  • Insolent - Showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.

  • Vitriolic - Filled with bitter criticism or malice.


Adjectives to Describe a Greedy Person

  • Selfish - Only caring about themselves and not sharing with others.

  • Stingy - Not willing to give or share; tight with money.

  • Hogging - Taking more than their fair share.

  • Grabbing - Quickly taking things for themselves.

  • Money-hungry - Always wanting more money.

  • Ungenerous - Not willing to give or share with others.

  • Possessive - Not wanting to share what they have.

  • Self-centered - Thinking only about themselves.


Adjectives to Describe a Sad Person

  • Unhappy - Not feeling joy or satisfaction.

  • Lonely - Feeling alone and without friends.

  • Down - Feeling low in spirits.

  • Gloomy - Feeling very sad and without hope.

  • Blue - A common term for feeling sad or depressed.

  • Miserable - Feeling very unhappy or uncomfortable.

  • Depressed - Feeling very sad and hopeless.

  • Sorrowful - Full of sadness and grief.

  • Tearful - Feeling like you want to cry.

  • Disheartened - Feeling a loss of hope and enthusiasm.

  • Heartbroken - Feeling very sad because of something painful that happened.

  • Despondent - Feeling very down and without hope.

  • Morose - Sullen and ill-tempered, deeply sad.

  • Disconsolate - Unable to be comforted; very sad.

  • Woeful - Full of sorrow or misery.

  • Mournful - Expressing sorrow or grief.

  • Dismal - Very gloomy and depressing.

  • Downcast - Feeling discouraged or sad.

  • Forlorn - Pitifully sad and abandoned.

  • Distressed - Suffering from anxiety, sorrow, or pain.

  • Melancholic - Deeply reflective and sad.

  • Dejected - Depressed in spirits; disheartened.


Expanding vocabulary with a variety of good adjectives enriches elementary students' communication and enhances their understanding of different personalities. By using both positive and negative adjective descriptors, students can express nuanced views and develop empathy. This approach encourages clearer and more empathetic expressions, fostering a better grasp of interpersonal dynamics at a young age.


----

Ready to become a substitute teacher? With HelloSubs, you can apply in just 90 seconds and start earning with weekly direct deposits. Whether you're looking for full-time or part-time work, we’ve got the perfect substitute teaching opportunities waiting for you. Take control of your career and join a platform that supports you every step of the way. Apply today!


Adjectives to describe a person for elementary students

Become a substitute teacher today! 

Takes 90 seconds

Ready to become a substitute teacher?

Earn up to $220/day substitute teaching on your own schedule.

bottom of page